Heal Me
by jaspersluv
Summary: Begins about five year after the battle in Eclipse. Things didn't go so well in the fight and Jasper is left heartbroken. May have a flashback in a future chapter to explain what happened. Introduces a new unique character. Please read & review.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Edward POV

"Could someone remind me why we're doing this…_again_?" Emmett muttered, frustrated.

Another town, another "first" day of school, and another useless cafeteria. Granted, this was college, but still the same old thing.

Three hours into our first day, and we were already labeled as the freaks no one dare speak to.

I sighed and raised my eyes to Jasper. He sat motionless across from me, staring blankly at an empty chair next to him. I then shifted my eyes to Emmett and raised an eyebrow. He knew why we were there.

He huffed impatiently.

_ Oh right, _he growled mentally. _This is supposed to help him…Whatever. It's been five years and he hasn't so much as whispered. Maybe we just need to admit that he'll never be the same!…None of us will._

With that, Emmett pushed himself away from the table and stalked out of the cafeteria, startling the children at the table behind him.

"Is he okay?" Bella whispered.

Rosalie sighed and stood, gathering their untouched trays of food.

"He'll be fine," she murmured. "I'll go talk to him." _Get Jasper to move, Edward. I don't think he's blinked or breathed for the last fifteen minutes._

I gave a quick nod and turned my attention to my brother.

"Jazz," I whispered.

Nothing.

"Jasper." A little louder.

His intake of breath and the blinking of his eyes let me know he heard me. He turned his head slowly, his empty eyes breaking my heart afresh when they met mine.

I gave him a half grin.

"Appearances," I reminded him.

He closed his eyes and nodded.

_ Sorry._

"You don't have to do this Jasper," Bella said softly.

"Would you like to go home?" I added.

Jasper shook his head as he slowly stood to his feet.

_ It doesn't make any difference where I'm at. I've had enough for today though._

His mental voice had become just as empty and lifeless as his eyes. As I watched him go, I wondered if Emmett was right. Bella squeezed my hand.

"He'll be okay," she whispered in my ear, sending a warm tingle down my spine.

"You really believe that?"

"I have to."

Jasper POV

It was just too much…Entirely too much. I doubted I'd be back for classes tomorrow…or the next day.

What was the point?

I stopped in the parking lot next to Edward's car and listened. I could hear a river in the distance and decided it would be a good place to just be alone for a while.

I started in the direction of the river at a pace that used to irritate me. But I had no reason to run anymore. No reason to talk, smile, laugh or even breathe. The world held no beauty for me anymore, since the reason for my being was taken. I just existed, an empty shell of the man I used to be, cursing myself everyday for the promise I had made to her to never pull a stunt like Edward had when he thought Bella was dead.

I promised…I never believed it would be an issue. How was I to know that I wouldn't be able to protect her? And how could I betray that promise when she had given her life to save mine?

Having safely reached the concealed shelter of the woods, I broke into a sprint. I longed for the solitude of the river. I wished to find a good place to submerge myself and allow the water to rush over me.

Maybe I would never come up.

It didn't take long to reach the river. I surveyed the area, but it wasn't quite was I was looking for. The water was plenty deep enough, but not near fast enough. Upstream I could hear the rushing water and could tell by the sound that I would find a waterfall if I kept walking.

Sure enough, I found quite a large waterfall just a mile upstream, but something caught my attention and froze me in my tracks.

A girl sat on a rock at the about midway up the falls with her back to me. She was small, with auburn hair styled similarly to Alice. I could smell the saltwater tears on her face and hear her faint sobs. How on earth she had gotten to her perch on the boulder without falling in was beyond me.

Then I wondered where she had come from. I inhaled, catching the scent of the town's diner wafting through the air and noticed the name of the diner printed on the back of her shirt.

Still, the diner had to be a couple of miles away from that particular spot. What would possess a human to come out there alone in the first place, let alone make such a dangerous climb?

She began to turn slowly, as if she knew she was being watched. Just as I decided there was no way she would spot me, her terrified blue eyes locked with mine.

Ember POV

What a horrible day.

I'd just gotten out on my own, moving two towns away from my aunt and uncle where I had found a job and a decent apartment, and so far it was not going well.

I started the day off by over-sleeping because the electricity had gone off in the night, effectively rendering my alarm clock useless. Then at work I mixed up orders, burned myself, spilled three drinks and got cussed out twice.

Could it get any worse?

Wrong question.

An all-too-familiar chill ran down my spine as my sub-conscious mind registered what my conscious mind did not want to believe.

I was being watched. I turned slowly, hoping that my mind was just playing tricks on me…Or maybe my nerves had finally gotten the better of me.

No, fate wasn't so kind.

To my horror, my eyes met with those of a pale-skinned creature similar to the one who haunted my nightmares…The one responsible for murdering my parents nearly two years ago.

We were driving to Kentucky to visit some friends on our vacation. At a gas station in some rural area we stopped to fill up and get some snacks. My father went in to pay while my mother and I used the restroom. When we came back out, neither my father or the station attendant were anywhere in sight. But leaning against our car was their murderer. His crimson eyes met mine and I realized in that instant that I could hear his thoughts. Through his mind I saw that he had already drained my father and the other man and intended to do the same with us.

His movements were too quick to watch as he attacked my mother. She didn't even have time to scream. Then he set his sights on me.

I had scooted myself into a corner, too terrified to run or scream. He knelt in front of me and inhaled deeply through his nose. His brow furrowed in confusion.

"Hmmm," he breathed, just inches from my face. "Your blood carries no scent…Well, that isn't any fun." He ran the backs of his fingers along my cheek, causing me to shiver. "I suppose I am finished here…I wouldn't mention vampires to the police…unless you'd like to live out the remainder of your life in a psychiatric ward."

Then he vanished.

I have no idea why he left me alive. The next people to arrive at the station found me huddled in the same corner. I'd gone into shock.

When I came to at the hospital, I told the police that I found my mother dead when I came out of the bathroom and that was the last thing I remembered.

I was just about to begin my junior year of high school, but I just couldn't do it. I moved in with my Aunt Deb and Uncle Rich and basically shut down for about eight months. I didn't eat well and rarely slept. The little sleep I did get was always interrupted by horrific nightmares. I was sure he would come back for me.

_ How did she know I was here?_

Once the monster's thought registered in my mind, assuring me that he was indeed a vampire, I bolted to my feet.

"Stay away from me!" I screamed.

He looked…surprised. He held up his hands and took a step forward.

_ I…I wont hurt you._

I heard his thought more than the actual words. I couldn't hear anything other than the waterfall cascading around me.

He took another step.

"No!" I screamed as I turned to flee.

I had been very cautious in getting to that boulder, but I couldn't afford to be that way as I tried to escape.

Stupid. I knew how fast they were.

I glanced over my shoulder, sure he would be right there, and in my lack of concentration, my foot slipped off a rock and I fell.

I expected to feel the cold of the water as it surrounded me, but that never came. Just a sharp pain on the back of my head and the sound of water that quickly gave way to blackness. Would my death really be so easy?

Jasper POV

"No!"

I watched in frozen horror as her foot slipped from the rock. The sound of her head connecting with another rock as she fell turned my insides with nausea.

Before I could make sense of what I was doing, I was in the water. I found her lifeless body at the base of the falls, held captive against a boulder by the force of the water. I managed to get my arms around her and was soon laying her down on the bank of the river.

Her heart was still beating, though it was quickly becoming faint. My arm was stained with blood where her head had rested against it, but I couldn't smell a thing. Her blood had no scent.

The injury to her head was substantial. Even if I could do CPR --which I couldn't, not without crushing her ribs-- she would not likely recover from it.

I buried my face in my hands, devastated. Another life lost because of me.

_ Save her, Jasper!_

Alice's tinkling voice echoed in my head, as if she'd been standing right beside me.

"I --I can't," I answered aloud.

_ You must. Please…save her._

My angel's voice faded into a whisper as I looked down at the girl dying at my knees. My mouth flooded with venom. With a groan I lowered my head and sank my razor sharp teeth into the soft flesh of her throat.

To my astonishment, her blood had been just as void of taste as it had been of scent. It was like drinking a glass of water…a very _satisfying glass of water._

_ I growled as I forced myself away, praying that enough venom had been injected._

_ I scooped her into my arms and ran at full speed toward our home, nearly collapsing with relief when it came into view._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Carlisle POV

Absorbed in a book, the slamming of the front door down stairs nearly escaped my attention. The desperation in Jasper's call did not. I hadn't heard him speak in nearly five years, but to hear him call for me in such away turned my insides to ice.

"Carlisle!"

I shot down the steps, abruptly halting at the bottom. I was taken aback by the site before me.

Jasper was on his knees, clutching a small girl in his arms. I could see the crescent-shaped wound on her neck where he had bitten her. Esme stood to his left in the doorway to the living room, her hand clasped over her mouth.

"She fell…into the river…Hit her head. I…I couldn't…Carlisle, I couldn't let her die!" Jasper's voice trembled as he spoke. I could feel the panic radiating from him. "It was…my fault…I frightened her…" He was beginning to sob. "I didn't…mean to…But she's still not…moving. Why?…Why isn't she moving?"

I knelt down and placed a hand on his shoulder, willing him to calm down.

"Sshh, listen," I instructed. "Her heart is still beating and I can smell the venom working through her system. Her head injury could be the reason she doesn't feel the pain yet." I held my arms out. "Let me take her to the guest room where I can look her over."

He nodded and let me lift the girl out of his arms. I carried her upstairs, leaving Jasper sobbing on Esme's shoulder.

Just as I laid her on the bed, her lungs expelled the water they had been carrying and she began breathing again. Esme came in, holding my black bag.

"Thank you," I murmured as she set it down beside me. I pulled a small flashlight out and used it to check the girl's eyes. "Would you mind getting her some dry clothes, sweetheart?"

"Of course," she replied.

"Here." Jasper stood in the door, holding a pair of Alice's pajamas.

"Are you sure, Jasper?" Esme asked. He nodded and placed the clothes in her hands.

"We'll let you get her changed." I stepped out into the hallway with Jasper, closing the door behind me. He stood across from me, staring down at nothing. The worry and shame rolling off of him was stifling. "Jasper, son…Please look at me." He looked up, bring his tortured gaze to mine. "I believe she's going to come through this. She was dying and you did the only thing you could to save her, I don't condemn you for that."

"She was so scared, Carlisle…The way she looked at me-- like she knew what I was. She may never forgive me."

"We'll cross that hurdle when we come to it. Right now we need to think about where to take her. This area is too heavily populated for a newborn vampire…I was thinking our home in the Rockies…or perhaps the one in Alaska. Esme and Bella could--"

"No," he said, interrupting me. "I'll take her and stay with her…I'm responsible for her." "Okay. Though one or two of us should be there with you when she comes around." He began to shake his head in protest. "I know you have ample experience with newborns, but she'll still be much stronger than you--"

"And it's my problem to deal with." I opened my mouth to argue, but he cut me off. "Please, Carlisle. I refuse to put anyone in this family in danger over a decision I've made."

I could tell he wouldn't back down. Resigned, I nodded. "Alright…But good luck keeping Emmett away, you know he doesn't listen."

Jasper rolled his eyes, not able to argue with me on that one. Though the circumstances weren't ideal, it was good to hear my son's voice again. Esme opened the door and peered out at us.

"You boys can come in now."

Jasper started in, but I lightly grabbed his arm. "You should go hunt. You'll need your strength up if you're going to do this alone."

He nodded then disappeared down the steps.

Ember POV

Though I tried my hardest, I could not make heads or tails of what was going on.

I was shrouded in blackness, a steady pressure holding me against something hard, though it wasn't painful. I wondered how much longer I would have these senses before completely succumbing to the blackness.

Iron bands wrapped around me and pulled, but I still felt no pain.

I tried in vain to open my eyes.

Suddenly there was sound again, the rushing of water being the most dominant of those sounds. The iron bands constricted around me, holding me tight against something solid. Then the bands loosened and I felt myself being laid down.

With the sound of water in the background, I could hear a new sound. Someone was near me, their breath coming in panicked pants.

"I --I can't," a pained voice said.

The voice was beautiful. I wondered if it belonged to an angel…My angel perhaps?

But what couldn't he do?

I was dying, that much I was sure of. Maybe he thought I was too young and he was struggling with the decision to escort me into death.

I wanted to tell him --assure him-- that it was okay, but I couldn't talk or even move my mouth.

I heard an agonized groan, followed by pressure on my throat.

Such an odd feeling passed through me, I could never describe it. My heart faltered, fluttered in my chest as if it were under too much strain, then a growl from some nearby beast sent a wave of fear like ice through my veins.

I felt the iron bands wrap around be again, then the wind whipping at me as if I were flying.

Did the angel have to rescue me from some demon?…Or was it the demon that held me now, carrying me to some awful place I didn't wish to go?

"Carlisle!" Relief flooded me as I heard the voice of the angel again. He sounded upset. "She fell…into the river…Hit her head. I…I couldn't…Carlisle, I couldn't let her die!" What? I felt the bands --which I figured must be his arms --tremble as he continued. "It was…my fault…I frightened her…" He began to sob. "I didn't…mean to…But she's still not…moving. Why?…Why isn't she moving?"

I was utterly confused. I tried to remember, to recall exactly what had brought me here, but it just wouldn't come to me. I'd fallen in a river? That figures.

"Sshh, listen," another angelic voice murmured. I assumed it to be Carlisle. "Her heart is still beating and I can smell the venom working through her system. Her head injury could be the reason she doesn't feel the pain yet." Venom? Was I bitten by something before I fell? And did he say he could smell it?…And hear my heart beat? "Let me take her to the guest room where I can look her over."

I felt another set of arms pull me from my would-be angel. A strange feeling began to build in my chest, and a sudden urge to cough hit me just as I was laid on a soft surface. I have no idea what I coughed up, but I did feel better afterwards, like a weight had been lifted from my chest.

"Thank you," Carlisle said, I didn't know what for. "Would you mind getting her some dry clothes, sweetheart?"

"Of course," a woman's sweet voice replied.

"Here." My rescuer muttered from somewhere.

"Are you sure, Jasper?" I was happy to finally hear his name.

"We'll let you get her changed," Carlisle said softly.

I heard a door close and soon felt myself being lifted and tugged on. The woman with the sweet voice began to hum the most beautiful tune I'd ever heard.

A strange tingling sensation spread through my body and soon there was nothing.

Jasper POV

When I returned from my hunt, Edward and Bella had come home. I could hear them talking to Carlisle, discussing my insistence on being alone with the girl when she awoke.

They didn't like the idea any more than Carlisle had.

I didn't pay them any attention when I went in. I moved quickly up the stairs and took my place at her side. Edward came in behind me just as I took her hand in mine.

"You shouldn't do this alone, Jasper," he said quietly. "It's dangerous."

"Exactly why I am doing it alone." He opened his mouth to protest but I cut him off. "I wont be persuaded on this, Edward," I said plainly.

Edward sighed in frustration and I felt a small hand on my shoulder. Bella stood beside me, a sad look in her eyes.

"When are you leaving?" she asked.

"Soon," I replied. "Before Emmett gets home." I wasn't going to deal with him.

Edward couldn't help but chuckle, knowing how obstinate Emmett could be.

"The Vanquish is ready, if you'd like to take it," he said. "And Emmett will be home within the hour…He called a little while ago to check on you. We didn't tell him anything."

"Thank you," I said standing to my feet. "I'm going to go pack some things…Edward?…Do you think she'll be okay? She still hasn't moved. What is she thinking?"

Edward cast a nervous glance at the girl in the bed.

"I honestly don't know. I've never seen anyone go through the change in complete silence, but she is obviously changing…As for her thoughts, she either isn't thinking or I can't hear her." Ugh. Not what I wanted to hear. "Sorry."

I shook my head. "Thank you for trying."

I went into my room and stood with my hand on the closet door. I hadn't been into that space since before my sweet Alice died. Getting the pajamas earlier wasn't hard. I did it on impulse and only had to pull them from a dresser drawer.

Going into her closet --the place she spent countless hours joyfully sorting, pairing and accessorizing-- was another story entirely.

I took a deep breath and turned the knob.

"You can do this," I whispered to myself.

I stepped inside and flipped the light switch.

Two steps in, I inhaled. Her scent surrounding and filling me brought me to my knees. With my face buried in my hands, I sobbed uncontrollably.

Soon, Carlisle's arms wrapped around me. He didn't attempt to move me, just held me and cried along with me as a father would comfort his son.

"I miss her so much," I sobbed.

"I know…I know," he soothed. "Jasper, you've lived through what would be my worst nightmare…I'm not sure I could be as strong as you have been…Alice would be so proud of you --No, I know she _is very proud of you…We all are."_

_He helped me to my feet and Bella immediately wrapped her arms around me._

"_Let me do this for you…Please?" she whispered, looking up at me with unshed tears in her eyes._

"_Okay," I consented, knowing that despite how strong Carlisle thought I was, I knew I could bear no more._

_He embraced my shoulders with one arm and escorted me from the closet, into the waiting arms of my loving mother._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

In no time at all, Bella had two duffle bags packed and hung on Edward's shoulders. I gently lifted the girl off the bed and carried her to Edward's car. Bella opened the door for me and reclined the passenger seat as far as it would go. I set her down and Bella situated her with a pillow and blanket as Edward placed the bags in the trunk.

"I wish I knew her name," I muttered.

Bella stood upright quickly, inspiration sparkling in her eyes. "You said she was at the river, right?" I nodded. "Maybe she had a purse laying around there somewhere."

Brilliant. In my haste to save her, I didn't look for any personal belongings. "That's very possible."

"Edward and I could check. If we don't find anything, we'll snoop around the diner where she worked. We'll go tonight and call you as soon as we find anything."

"Just follow my scent," I said, pointing in the direction I had come from earlier. "And…thank you, Bella."

"Anytime," Bella answered, hugging me tightly. "Please call if you need us."

"I will."

"Promise?" Edward said, throwing his arms around the two of us.

"Yes, I promise," I said with a chuckle.

Esme and Carlisle came in to say their goodbyes. After promising a few more times to call if things got out-of-hand, I finally got on the road.

I looked over at my passenger, worried once again about her lack of movement. Her heart rate had picked up, which was a good sign.

Still, I worried.

Earlier at the house, I was picking up on emotions from her. She felt fear, relief, confusion and even irritation, but no pain. It just didn't make any sense. But there in the car I wasn't getting anything.

I reached over and stroked her arm with the backs of my fingers. Her skin still felt soft and warm, but I could feel a definite temperature change.

As I looked her over for other subtle changes, I noticed movement on the side of the road ahead of me. A deer jumped out, causing me to swerve and hit my brakes.

It wasn't often that a vampire was caught off guard. If I'd had a heartbeat, mine would've been pounding in my chest.

"I should get out and hunt you down," I grumbled, glaring into the woods.

I looked over to the girl, to make sure she hadn't been disturbed by my sudden stop.

She hadn't.

Just as I began to drive again, my phone buzzed in my pocket. It was Bella.

"That was quick," I said as a greeting.

"What can I say, I'm efficient."

"So, did you find anything?"

"Yes, she had a backpack there hanging on a tree branch. Her name is Ember Thompson and she's nineteen…We left the backpack there so someone would find it and…well, you know. She'll be assumed dead after a massive search, I'm sure."

"Most likely. Thanks again, Bella. Tell Edward I said thanks."

"He says you're welcome." She giggled. "We broke into the diner. We're on our way to her apartment now, to see what else I can find out about her."

"Bored much?"

"You have no idea!…Okay, maybe you do. Oh, by the way…Emmett is _ticked_."

"He'll get over it. Tell him to stay home."

"I'll try…Take care Jasper." "You do the same. Bye, Bella."

"Bye."

******

The trip took a total of twelve hours even at break-neck speeds.

I carried Ember into the house and laid her on the couch, then returned to the car to retrieve the bags and my guitar which Edward had packed without my knowledge. I hadn't played in a very long time, but I silently thanked him for thinking of it. Now I had something to keep my attention while I waited for her to come around.

She never made a sound or had any emotional spikes the entire trip, but she had changed dramatically.

Her skin was the same pale white as mine and sparkled brilliantly in the sunlight when I carried her in from the car. Though her skin was smooth as silk, she wasn't pliable and warm anymore. Her features had become more refined and she developed a mesmerizing scent all of her own.

I made my way through the house, pulling sheets from furniture, dusting and sweeping down cob-webs. No one had been to this house since Bella was changed and it showed.

After tidying everything up, I brought Ember to the master bedroom and laid her in the center of the king-sized canopy bed. I had set my guitar down beside the bags in the corner of the room, so I grabbed it and settled down on the bed, sitting with my back against the headboard.

I had no idea what to play, so I checked and double-checked the strings, making sure the tuning was right. When I had wasted all the time I could tuning, I sighed and looked down at Ember.

"Any ideas?"

Of course she didn't answer.

My eyes closed and I focused my attention on the rapid beat of Ember's heart accompanied by her shallow breaths. All the stress and tension of the last five years melted away as I allowed my fingers to dance on the strings. I kept time with her heart, fully absorbed in the joyful world my music created for me.

I must've played for hours. By the time I quit, the sun had dipped below the mountains.

As I returned my guitar back to it's case, my lips curled into a genuine smile.

That had felt _really _good.

Just as I stood, a wave of shock hit me.

Ember's consciousness had finally come back.

******

Ember POV

I know everyone has heard the expression "My life flashed before my eyes" --but what I was experiencing was insane!

With a jolt, my memories came back…All of them, all at the same time.

I felt as though I were standing in a room surrounded by my life. My childhood, my parents, their deaths, the murderer, living with my aunt and uncle, moving…the river, my fall…the reason for my fall, all in crystal clear detail.

"Ember?…Can you hear me?"

I knew that voice.

Jasper.

My mind quickly put the puzzle pieces together.

He was the vampire I had tried to escape when I fell. He pulled me from the river. He….

No. No no no no no NO!

_I can smell the venom working through her system._

Carlisle's voice rang loud and clear in my head.

"Whoa…okay don't panic, I'm going to explain everything."

I had just realized what I was becoming --because of _him_ --panicking was an understatement.

I was furious, but still not able to move or open my eyes or scream which made it so much worse.

"Easy," he said, taking my hand. I could feel myself calming, but not because I wanted to.

_Get away from me! _I screamed in my head.

I felt my hand drop and heard his steps as he backed away.

"Telepathic?" he whispered. _Can you hear me like this?_

_Yes! _I growled. He came back to stand beside me. _Get. Away. From. Me…NOW!_

"Ember, I…I'm sorry."

Then it happened. The pain Carlisle had mentioned took hold of me and there was nothing else. It felt as though my blood had crystallized into shards of ice that ripped and tore their way through my veins.

In all that pain I finally found my voice, but could do nothing but scream.

******

Emmett POV

"Stay home," I muttered as I pulled into the drive of our Rocky Mountain home. "Pshh, can't tell me what to do."

I stepped out of the car, expecting to see Jasper standing on the porch with his arms crossed over his chest. Instead, his cry of agony rang out from the second floor of the house.

It took less than three seconds to get up there. I threw open the door to find Jasper curled in a ball on the floor next to the bed. Ember lay on the bed twitching and whimpering.

I snatched Jasper up and ran from the house into the woods.

"You can…put me down…now." His voice trembled, the effects of his ordeal just beginning to ebb.

I set him down. He sank all the way to the ground, sprawling out on his back.

"What are you doing here, Emmett?"

Was he _serious_?

"What?! You know what, forget that. What was _that _all about?" I asked, pointing toward the house.

He sighed and sat upright.

"I was trying to help her…to ease the pain…It overtook me." He shuddered. "That was worse than my own change."

"Wow." Jasper just nodded. "You alright?"

"She was so angry at me."

Ember's screams penetrated the air around us and he jumped to his feet. I grabbed his shoulder.

"Don't try to help. I'll snatch you out again if I even think you're in trouble."

He gave me a sharp nod and we took off for the house.

******

Jasper POV

After a few hours, Ember's screaming quieted to sobs and whimpers.

I felt horrible.

She hated me.

"Hey, could you lighten up the depression a bit? You're killin' me over here," Emmett said, not bothering to look away from his combat game.

"You don't _have to be here," I answered, annoyed._

"_Whatever." He finally turned to look at me. "Listen, she'll be fine. Once she wakes up--"_

"_Shhh! Listen." Ember's heart was sputtering wildly. "I think it's almost over."_

"_Already?" Emmett replied in disbelief._

_I didn't answer, just ran up to Ember's room._

_Her heart took it's last violent beat just as I reached her side. She laid deathly still for longer than I would've liked, but to my great relief she finally drew in a breath._

_I gasped in wonder when her eyes met mine._

_The bluest sky held no comparison to the blue of the eyes staring into mine._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Emmett POV

I'm not sure what happened in those few seconds after Ember's eyes opened, but I found out real quick that she was _not _happy.

She never took her eyes from Jasper's as she sprung to her feet.

"You," she hissed.

His back hit the wall behind him where he was held, struggling against an invisible force.

"Ember, stop." I moved towards her with my arms out. She growled and the next thing I knew I was hurled through the wall and halfway across the yard. "You have _got _to be kidding," I muttered.

I tried to get back into the house, to no avail. I made it as far as the porch before she froze me in my tracks. I snarled, struggling futilely. It felt as though my every muscle had been turned to concrete and bolted firmly to the floor.

When Jasper's cry of agony tore through the house, I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. I couldn't bear to lose another member of my family.

"Ember, please," I begged. "He's my brother…He has a family…Please."

"I had a family, too," she snarled. "A father and a mother…Slaughtered by one of you monsters! Now I'm the same as him…the same as you, because of _him_!"

Another blood-curdling cry came from Jasper and had I been able, I would've dropped to my knees.

"Please," I sobbed. "Our family can't take another loss…"

****** Jasper POV

I had never felt such agony. I could hear cracking and popping in my chest as she slowly pulled me apart with her mind. I knew if she killed me she would come to regret it.

_I'm not him, Ember…Neither are you. I don't care if I die…I'd even welcome it with open arms…But it will devastate my family--_

A high-pitch screech escaped through Ember's gritted teeth and I was thrown through two walls, landing in the front yard, about twenty feet from where Emmett stood on the porch.

I felt the weight of her hold lift from me and heard her escaping through the forest behind the house.

I took off after her.

"What are you _doing_?" Emmett asked, catching up to me.

"We have to stop her."

"Are you _nuts_?"

Probably.

"We have to try…If she gets anywhere near humans--" I didn't finish the sentence. There was no need.

He split off from me, hoping she would feel cornered and turn to face us.

It worked. She wasn't as fast as us, and knowing we were closing in, she spun around, again locking her eyes on mine.

The wall I expected to meet wasn't there when I lunged at her, surprising both of us when I tackled her at full force. The sound of air being forced from her lungs as we hit the ground made me cringe…She was so small.

I quickly pinned her to the ground by straddling her hips and holding her wrists to the ground. I found it surprising that she didn't seem to have the typical newborn strength. I held my breath, waiting for the crushing pain that she was obviously trying to inflict.

"Hey Jazz?" My head snapped up to the familiar voice that had called me. Bella crouched about fifteen yards away, concentrating intensely. "I'm not sure how long I can do this, she's not making it easy, so hurry up and talk to her."

I had never been more grateful for my rebellious family in all my life.

To try and ease the stress on Bella, I used my gift to calm Ember.

"Stop that!" she yelled, struggling beneath me. "Get off of me!"

"I will in a minute, but you need to listen," I answered sternly. She stopped struggling and glared up at me. _If looks could kill…_I thought, fully aware that the wrong look from her was indeed deadly. I heard Edward cough through a chuckle behind me. "If we let you go, you _will _kill the first humans you come across."

Her anger hit me ten-fold, making it difficult to rein in my own anger. Bella dropped to one knee, clearly struggling to keep hold of her shield over us. "Well that's the life you so willingly doomed me to!" she snarled. "Deal with it!"

"What?…No, Ember. You don't have to live that way." She looked up at me warily, her anger ebbing slightly. "The vampire who killed your family…Do you remember the color of his eyes?"

"Red. I'll never forget those red eyes."

"Look at mine…all of ours."

She stared up at me, confused. "How?…If you don't kill people…How do you survive?"

"Animals."

Her brow furrowed at my simple reply. "Hmm. Can I get up now?"

"Sure." I stood and held my hand out to her. She took it, allowing me to help her up.

Progress.

"Interesting set of abilities you have there," Emmett said. "You're kind of cute when you're angry and can't do anything about it," he teased.

Ember growled lightly and looked to Bella, who just shrugged her shoulders.

"He's all yours…Just don't kill him," Bella said with a grin.

Ember threw a glance at Emmett over her shoulder. His legs were swept out from under him and he landed with a thud, flat on his back.

Edward laughed and draped his arm over Ember's shoulder. "I think you'll fit in just fine."

"That wasn't nice," Emmett grumbled, dusting himself off.

"So, when did you guys decide to disobey?" I asked Bella as we walked back to the house.

She laughed. "We came in right after Emmett, but decided to keep a distance and help if needed."

"Well…Thanks."

"Of course…Did you really expect us to listen?"

I hadn't. "No."

We reached the yard and I stopped at the edge of the trees.

"Ember?…Could I speak to you for a minute?" I asked.

Edward, Emmett and Bella continued into the house, leaving us alone.

"Um…Sure, I guess," she replied.

"I could show you how to hunt now, if you'd like…You must be getting thirsty."

"Thirsty?…Is that what this tingling in my throat is?"

"_Tingling_?" I repeated. "Isn't it more like burning?"

"No, not really. More annoying than anything."

I shook my head. "You are the most unusual newborn I've ever met."

She just shrugged. "I was a pretty unusual human."

Ember was truly amazing.

I didn't have to teach her anything about hunting. Once she caught the scent of a male black bear, her predatory side took over and I simply stood back and enjoyed the show. She was a natural, nearly as graceful as Edward and every bit as cunning as myself. If not for the back of her shirt being torn from the bear's claws, you wouldn't even know that she'd just taken down a nearly four hundred pound animal.

"How was that?" she asked after disposing of the carcass like I had instructed.

"Incredible," I admitted. "How do feel?"

"Great!"

"Really?…It didn't taste bad?"

Animal blood wasn't horrible-- with the exception of deer --but it wasn't the most satisfying thing and usually held a bitter or bland taste.

"No, it was awesome…Should it have tasted bad?" I laughed. "I guess not for you, odd-ball." She smiled, proud of herself. "Are you ready to go back?"

"Not quite…I'd like to run a bit. Is that okay?"

"Of course."

We ran for a good while. Ember was enjoying testing her limits, seeing how fast she could run, how far she could jump and how high she could climb. Finally, we ended up sitting on an outcropping of rock, admiring the full yellow moon.

"Jasper?" It had been quiet for a while and she spoke my name softly, as if she were afraid to break the silence.

"Hmm?"

"Why did you do it?…Change me, I mean?" She plucked a blade of grass from the ground and twirled it in her fingers. "As much as I don't want to admit it, it was my own stupid fault that I fell in the river…you could've just--"

"No, Ember, I couldn't," I interrupted. "If not for me, you wouldn't have fallen." She began to protest, but I held my hand up to stop her. "I should've walked away the moment I saw you there, but I let my curiosity get the best of me…Then, when I pulled you out of the water and knew you were dying, someone very special to me told me to save you…She told me I had to save you, and I could deny her nothing."

"So…You saved me because someone told you to?"

"No, please don't misunderstand. I wanted to, I just didn't think that I could. If not for your blood's lack of scent of flavor, I probably would've just killed you faster."

"Oh." She leaned back, resting on her elbows. "I didn't realize there was anyone with you."

"She's always with me," I murmured.

"Alice? Is that her name?…She's always in your thoughts." "Yes…She was my whole world."

"What happened?"

The moment I had dreaded for five years had finally arrived. I knew one day I would have to talk about her death, but having those years to prepare didn't make it any less painful.

I began by telling her all about how Edward met Bella and how he-- and the rest of our family-- had fallen in love with her. I told her of our run in with James and how he'd nearly succeeded in killing Bella, followed by the story of how I nearly succeeded in killing Bella at her eighteenth birthday party.

"She was a little accident prone wasn't she?" Ember asked.

That made me laugh. "You have _no idea."_

_I continued my story, describing how hard it had been on all of us when Edward had made the choice to leave. It was especially hard for Alice…She loved Bella so, and couldn't comprehend what Edward's problem was with wanting to change Bella. Then came Bella's not death followed by Edward's attempted suicide with a brief explanation of the Volturi._

_I had reached the difficult part of the tale, and had to pause for a moment to collect myself before beginning._

"_If this is too hard, you don't have to…" she said, her voice trailing off at the end._

"_No, it's okay…I need to."_

_My mind drifted back to a soggy clearing in the forests of the Olympic Peninsula…_


	5. Chapter 5

****Author's note****

**Hi everyone! Just wanted to take a minute to thank you all for reading my little story. Chapter four was a really tough chapter for me to write, things just didn't want to flow right or something. So anyhow, I wanted to give you a brief explanation of Ember's abilities, because although I can see it clearly in my head, that doesn't mean it comes across like I want it to in the story.**

**Ok, as a human Ember could read the minds of vampires, but only if she focused on them. She'd never had any reason to pay attention before her parents were murdered, so she was unaware of vamps up to that point. **

**As a vampire, Ember is telepathic. She still has the ability to read vamp minds, but unlike Edward, she has a choice to do it or not do it, and she can not "see" through their minds like Edward can. Her mind is very powerful, and when Jasper said she was pulling him apart slowly, that is exactly what she was doing. Had she not stopped, he would have been disintegrated. Bella's shield is the one thing that can protect others from Ember's ability, but due to the strength of Ember's mind it is very difficult for Bella to hold the shield in place.**

**Physically, she would be considered a weak vampire. There are some things about her in this aspect that I haven't gotten to yet, but will soon.**

**OK, I think that's it. If you have any questions or if you think I've missed something, **_**PLEASE **_ask in a review or send me a PM.

Alrighty then, on with chapter 5!!

**********

**Chapter Five**

We stood in the trees lining the clearing, waiting.

Alice had been so tense. Her visions were not as clear as usual due to the army of chaotic newborns she was trying to keep tabs on, compounded by the fact that we had allied with werewolves. I stepped up behind her and wrapped my arms around her.

"How long?" I whispered in her ear.

"Maybe ten minutes," she answered. I felt a tiny spike of fear, which she quickly suppressed.

"I really wish you would've went with Edward and Bella…It's not too late--"

She turned to face me, looking up into my eyes. "I already told you, it's not gonna happen…Everything will be fine."

Though her voice was confident, her eyes told another story. I hugged her tightly.

"Please stay close to me."

She didn't answer, just nodded against my chest.

Across the clearing, Emmett and Rosalie stood in a similar embrace. A wolf paced near the back of the clearing while Carlisle and Sam waited near the entrance, where the newborns were going to come through.

I felt a wet nose nudge at my shoulder. I had been so focused on Alice that I didn't notice him approach. I turned my head, startling a little at being eye-to-eye with Jared. He whimpered and sniffed the air.

"Yes, I smell them, too. They're very close now." I said, answering the question he couldn't verbalize.

"Two minutes." The fear in Alice's voice was unmistakable.

I gave the signal and everyone readied themselves.

They came in just as Alice had seen, but there were a few more than we expected.

Emmett was having a grand time and the wolves were fighting phenomenally, utilizing everything I had taught them. I found myself fighting three at once through most of it, in an attempt to keep them away from Alice. We were winning.

All it took was a split second of distraction.

A howl of pain echoed across the clearing, catching my attention. Jacob Black had been wounded-- badly.

In that moment of distraction, my arms were seized by one newborn on each side. Another stalked in from the front, ready to deliver the death blow. My eyes flickered to the fire already burning not twenty feet from where we stood, knowing I would soon meet my end in those flames. I whispered my love and final goodbye to Alice, closing my eyes as he sprang.

Nothing happened.

A screech of surprise caused my eyelids to fly open.

Alice had tackled the newborn in mid-air.

She failed to escape him when they tumbled to a stop a few feet from the fire. He was three times her size and so much stronger.

The two holding me captive were caught off-guard and confused by what had happened. I was able to free myself, tossing one of them directly into Paul's path. The other fled, but was quickly picked off by Rosalie and Leah. I spun towards the fire where Emmett dismembered and disposed of my would-be assassin.

All the newborns were gone…We had won.

But where was Alice?…Certainly Emmett had reached her in time…He had to.

I knew the answer the moment our eyes met.

I fell to my knees, crying out in agony.

All coherent thought ceased as I was swallowed by darkness.

******

(Back to present)

"I'm sorry," Ember whispered aloud.

I had told the last part of the story through my thoughts because I still couldn't bring myself to speak it out loud.

We sat in silence for a while, just staring out at the moon and stars.

"So," I said, finally wanting to break the silence. "What about you?" "Me?" "Yeah. Tell me about your life."

"There's really not that much to tell…It was kind of pathetic," she chuckled.

"That can't be true," I replied.

"Oh, it is. How many teenaged kids have you ever known would say that their _parents_ were their only friends?" She looked at me pointedly.

"You had to have friends…Did you move a lot?"

"No. I never did anything that I'm aware of to make them hate me…They just did." She sighed and plucked a long blade of grass from the ground. She wrapped and unwrapped it on her fingers as she spoke. "I mean, I'm so completely average…You'd think they wouldn't bother."

"Average?" Hardly.

She nodded. "I wasn't beautiful, ugly, smart or stupid, rich or poor…Just right in the center in each category. Other kids like that flew under the radar, but not me…I was absolutely tortured all the way through school…Maybe they could sense that I was different, I don't know."

"Then the only friends you had were taken from you by a savage," I added.

"Mm-hm," she murmured. "I dropped out of school. I basically became a hermit for more than a year…I finally moved out, got a job and an apartment…The day you saved me from the river had been my second day on the job…It had been a really bad day."

"That's why you were crying," I murmured. She nodded. "Then I went and made your life even better."

She laughed. "Yeah…I guess it was fate…You know what?"

"What?"

"Life sucks."

I chuckled. "I'd drink to that."

The sky was beginning to lighten in the east. I was just about to say as much when my phone buzzed. I pulled it from my pocket and flipped it open. It was a text from Bella.

_We're leaving tonight and we'd like to get to know her too…Are you gonna share or what?_

I had to laugh. "I think we're being paged."

She giggled. "Are we going to be grounded for staying out all night?"

"Probably." We stood to our feet. "Ember?"

"Hmm?"

"You have a family now," I said sincerely. "If you'll allow us to be that for you."

She smiled. "Thank you, Jasper…That means a lot to me."

"Want to race back?"

"Absolutely!" she called. She shot off through the forest, using her ability to hold me in my place.

"Cheater!" I yelled after her.

******

Emmett POV

"When are they coming back?" I whined. I was sick of watching Edward and Bella being all kissy-face with each other.

Bella rolled her eyes then pulled out her phone to text Jasper. "Happy now?"

"No, I'd be happy if you two would get a freakin' room."

"Like you can talk," Edward replied. I grinned and pictured Rose and I in our early days. "Ugh! Knock it off!…Freak."

"Would you like to settle this outside?" I challenged. "You know I'm bored."

"Emmett cut it out," Bella said.

"Or what?" "Or I'll have Ember drop you on your head again when she gets back."

Okay, I couldn't argue with that one…That girl was bad stuff. Getting her on my side was definitely top on the list of my priorities.

"_You_ have a list of priorities?" Edward said sarcastically.

"You have no idea."

The door opened and Ember appeared, giggling. Three pairs of confused eyes glanced at each other, before returning to her.

"So ,uh…Where's Jasper?" I asked.

"Right here," he answered as he came through the door. He scowled at Ember. "Cheater."

"Hey, you made no mention of not using our abilities," she replied defensively.

"Why do I get the feeling I'm missing something funny?" The cryptic talk was driving me nuts.

"We were _supposed to race back," Jasper started._

"_And we did…And I won," Ember finished._

_Jasper shook his head. "Because you held me in place for as long as you could."_

"_I could've kept you there longer," Ember muttered. _

_I burst into laughter. "Aww, Jasper's just upset because now there's someone besides Edward who can beat him in a race."_

"_At least Edward doesn't cheat."_

_Jasper plopped down on the couch with his arms crossed over his chest, pretending to be upset. We ignored him._

"_So, how was your first hunt?" I asked Ember._

"_Great!" she replied. "I took out a black bear…A huge one!"_

"_Impressive. I'll have to take you out for grizzly some time."_

"_Sounds like fun."_

_Ember took a seat on the couch where Jasper was sitting. He looked at her from the corner of his eye._

"_I'm sorry I cheated," she said, batting her eyelashes._

"_No you're not," he scoffed._

_She laughed. "No, I'm not."_

_I liked this girl._


	6. Chapter 6

*Author's note: Just wanted to say a little thank you to everyone who is reading, big hugs to all who have reviewed. Reviews make me giggle J Anyhow, I've been struggling with who's POV to go with next. It was teetering between Edward and Emmett. So, I let them plead their case. It went something like this:

Emmett: Look, you know I'm funnier, and the readers love me. No contest.

Edward gets up from his seat. He kneels in front of me, takes my hand in his and gently kisses the back of it. Then he looks up at me through those impossibly long lashes.

Edward: I want you to do whatever makes you happy, sweetheart…You know what's best for the story.

I think I heard Emmett's jaw hit the floor.

Oh yes, Edward brought out the big guns. So, without further ado, here's Edward:

(and yes, I know I'm crazy.)

**Chapter Six**

**Edward POV**

I just couldn't quit smiling. It had been so long since any of us had truly felt happy. And despite his outward pouting façade, Jasper was radiating happiness to the point of giddiness. It felt good to see him happy again…It seemed I had my brother back. Ember was nothing short of a miracle for him.

I had to chuckle at the two of them. Jasper still had his arms crossed, his face turned away from her, doing his dead-level best not to crack a smile. She was sitting sideways and kept nudging him with her feet. I thought I'd offer her some assistance.

_Ember? _She cut her eyes at me, letting me know she'd heard me. _He hates for anyone to know this, but his ribs are ticklish. Use your toes._

A wicked grin spread across her face and she poked him under his left arm. He bit his lip. She did it again, only with more force. He strangled a laugh and grabbed her foot.

The action did not go unnoticed.

"No way," Emmett laughed. "Are you _ticklish_? How the heck does that happen?"

Jasper shot me a glare and I gave him my best "oblivious to what was happening" look.

"No," he said. "I am not--"

Ember used her other foot to jab his side and a sharp laugh escaped his lips. Bella jumped to her feet.

"Hold him down, Ember!" she instructed as she took her place at Jasper's right side.

"No--" That was all he got out.

He didn't even move an inch before she had him pinned to the couch by her remarkable ability. She and Bella were relentlessly poking and squeezing at his sides. All he could do was laugh hysterically.

"Say you're sorry," Ember commanded.

"For what?" he choked out between laughs.

"For being a poor sport." "Never," he squeaked. He let his guard down on his ability and soon we were all cracking up. "Alright! Alright!" He'd had all he could take. To be honest, so had I…I actually hurt from laughing so hard. "Okay! I'm sorry for ha-ha-ha…for being ha-ha…a sore loser ha-ha-ha…please stop."

Ember and Bella finally relented.

"Thank you," Ember said. "Next time don't be such a baby."

Just as Jasper was going to scold me for disclosing his secret, my phone rang. It was Carlisle. He was just checking in on our new sister, to see how she was coping. He was fascinated by her and was anxious to return with us the following weekend to test out her abilities.

"You guys are leaving today?" Ember asked when I closed my phone.

"Yes." I answered. "We have some things to take care of back home. But we'll be back next weekend. Bella and I are going to move in. Rosalie and Emmett will pop in from time to time as well." "She's got another itch to see Paris again." Emmett muttered with a roll of his eyes.

"So…I'll be here…alone?…For a week?" Ember sounded worried.

"No, I'm not going anywhere," Jasper assured her.

She relaxed. "Oh…Okay."

"So, you guys are dropping out of school?" Jasper asked.

I shrugged. "None of us want to be there. Carlisle and Esme are going to stay, have some time to themselves for a while."

"Why is he so excited about seeing me?" Ember wondered.

"He's a doctor, he can't help himself," Emmett answered.

I laughed. "That's true…But your talents are truly remarkable, Ember. Most newborns take months just to figure out their abilities-- if they have any at all-- then years to gain control of them. The fact that you opened your eyes and put yours to use so quickly--"

"And thoroughly," Jasper muttered.

"That's really quite impressive," I continued. "You are very unique."

My words didn't seem to cheer her. She got quiet and stared at the pattern on the couch cushion for a moment.

"Could I see a mirror?" she finally asked, not looking up.

"Hmm?" The question had caught me off guard.

"I…haven't looked yet…I have no idea what I look like."

Bella stood and took her hand.

"Right this way," she said, pulling Ember to the restroom down the hall. We all followed, first Jasper, then myself and Emmett. A newborn's reaction to seeing their own reflection for the first time can range anywhere from happy to enraged, so we were all anxious to see how she would react. "Here you go."

Bella flipped on the light switch and Ember gasped. She leaned toward the mirror, then lifted her hand to touch the reflection of her striking blue eyes. Her fingers lingered for a few seconds as she stared in disbelief at the figure staring back at her. Her face twisted into an expression of disgust and she turned her face away from the mirror, but otherwise didn't move.

"Could you guys give us a minute?" Jasper asked softly.

We quietly exited the room, leaving him to help her cope with whatever she was feeling.

******

**Jasper POV**

"Ember?" I brought my hand up to her shoulder and squeezed it gently. "What's wrong, darlin'?"

"I can't even be a normal vampire…I'm a freak."

I sat on the edge of the over-sized garden tub and gestured for her to sit next to me. Reluctantly, she complied, but she wouldn't look at me.

"Why do you say that?…Just because your eyes are blue?"

She nodded. "Why aren't they like yours?"

"Well, even if you followed the typical newborn patterns, they wouldn't be like mine. They would be red." She shuddered at the thought. "Listen, being different in our world is expected and in most cases, welcomed." I chuckled. "I mean, after over a hundred years of the same old thing, it does a body good to meet someone different."

"Glad I can entertain you," she muttered, not appreciating my humor.

I sighed and lifted her chin with my fingertips, forcing her to look at me.

"You are not a freak. You are something very special and I'm thrilled that you've become a part of our family."

A small grin began to form at the corners of her mouth.

"You really mean that?" I nodded. "You don't think I'm a freak?"

"Ember, look at me. I'm an _empath _and I'm covered in scarsfor cryin' out loud…If anyone here is a freak, it's me."

She giggled and threw her arms around my neck.

"Thanks, Jasper," she said before planting a kiss on my cheek. If a vampire could blush, I would've been.

"You're welcome, Ember."

She stood to her feet and looked in the mirror once more.

"They sure are blue," she said, studying her eyes.

"I like blue," I said as I passed behind her.

She giggled and followed me into the living room. It was empty, but Emmett had left a note on the coffee table that simply said, "Hunting". I asked Ember if she was feeling thirsty yet. She wasn't. We decided to go outside, since the clouds had finally cleared.

I stepped out first, to prove to her that she wouldn't burst into flames. She stood in the doorway for a moment, gazing at me in wonder.

Finally, after a little coaxing, she emerged. She reached her hand out, allowing the sun to touch it first.

"Wow," she whispered.

Soon she stood in complete sunlight, thoroughly examining every inch of exposed skin as it glittered in the light. Then she took my hand in hers and began to push my sleeve up. I stopped her.

"Ember, my skin is…Well, there are so many scars…It's ugly."

She ignored me, moved my hand out of the way and soon had both sleeves pushed up to my elbows.

"Don't ever say that," she whispered, tracing a scar with her finger. "Will you tell me how you got these?"

"If you want me to."

"I do."

We sat down in the grass and I began telling my story…All of it.

There wasn't much of my human life that I could remember. I could, however, remember the night of my change with perfect clarity.

I told her about how I had come across Maria and her two friends just after evacuating a town of women and children. I explained how life was for me in those early years, waking up to a world of war far more gruesome than the one I had come from. My whole existence was consumed by fear, hatred, violence and most of all…by thirst. I climbed the ranks of Maria's army quickly, soon becoming second in command. I was a terror not to be trifled with.

I described how depressed I became after so many years of slaughter and constant war. Maria and I no longer trusted one another. Then came the incident with Peter and Charlotte. I told how he came back for me years later, and how I'd met Alice because of that.

The sun was beginning to tuck itself behind the mountains when my story came to a close.

"You've been through so much," Ember murmured. "I feel bad for whining about my pathetic life."

"Life sucks right?"

"Yeah," she chuckled. "And then you un-die."

I couldn't help but laugh.

******

**Ember POV**

Jasper and I sat silently in the grass, watching the sunset behind the mountains.

I peeked over at him, marveling once again at his beauty as the last golden rays of sun danced on his face.

He had been through so much…Born into a world of war and torment, then finding the love of his life…only to have her viciously torn away from him.

It made me angry.

He deserved so much better.

_Ember! _The mental shout of my name snapped me from my thoughts. It was Bella. _I'm not sure if you can, but if at all possible could you hold Edward and Emmett still for a minute?_

I didn't even have to try hard. I had them located and halted in an instant. Emmett let out a growl, causing Jasper's head to snap in the direction of the sound. He looked back at me and I just grinned wickedly. He laughed and shook his head.

Soon, Bella burst through the trees, running at full speed. She stopped and took a quick look around.

"Yessss!" She did a little happy dance and came to sit beside me. "You are my new best friend."

"So, who comes in second?" I asked.

"Emmett," she and Jasper answered at the same time. Bella continued, "He's never beat Edward in a race, he'll never let it go."

I released Emmett and after a moment he entered the yard, wagging his finger at me. "You are evil," he said, scanning the yard. "But I beat Edward!"

Finally, I let Edward go and soon he came into view, moping.

Emmett was dancing around, gloating.

"I beat you! I beat you!" he sang.

"Whatever," Edward scoffed. "It wasn't a fair win."

"Not so funny now, is it?" Jasper taunted.

Edward scowled at him, then stretched out on the ground with his head resting on Bella's thigh.

"No, it will cease to be funny when he is still doing _that--" he pointed to Emmett, who was still doing his victory dance all over the yard, "two weeks from now."_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Jasper POV**

Ember and I stood in the driveway and waved as Emmett, Edward and Bella drove off.

"So…" I said once the taillights had disappeared from view. "What do you want to do now?" She shrugged her shoulders. "Are you thirsty yet?"

"No." I felt like such an unnecessary guardian. She was nothing like a typical newborn and didn't seem to need my supervision.

"How about a movie?" I asked.

"Sounds nice."

We went into the house and started digging through Emmett's collection of DVDs. He kept a stash of them at every house we owned.

"I'm afraid these are all older movies," I said, scanning the titles. "I could go to the video store if you want me to."

"No, you don't have to do that…I'll find some~ No way." Her eyes brightened as we reached the bottom of the box. She pulled out a box that held at least four DVDs. "Emmett likes _Friends_?…He has every season!"

"Those are probably Rosalie's…Is that what you want to watch?"

"Absolutely! Do you like them?"

"I've never seen it."

Her jaw dropped open, like I had suddenly sprouted a second head.

"You poor, depraved man. Go. Sit."

I followed her instructions and sat on the couch as she put in disc one of the first season. I had to get back up to adjust the surround sound, but that only took a minute. Ember killed the lights and sat at the opposite end of the couch.

"I don't bite, you know," I said, pretending to look hurt.

She laughed and scooted toward the middle. "That is probably the most absurd phrase a vampire has ever uttered…Besides, I didn't want you to think I was trying to get fresh or anything."

"I'd know if you were," I chuckled, draping my arm over her shoulder.

I have to admit, the show was pretty funny. We laughed through the first five seasons before Ember decided she'd had enough of funny. I stayed on the couch while she picked through the movie box.

"Ya know, Joey and Ross remind me of Emmett and Edward," she giggled. I nodded. "So do we want torture-horror or spooky-ghost-horror?" she asked, holding up Saw 3 in one hand and Paranormal Activity in the other.

"Option B," I answered. The Saw movies were Emmett's favorite horror films and I had seen them all at least twice.

She put the movie in and returned to my side, scooting in a little closer than before. I could feel the anticipation building, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"Are you really going to get scared?…You do know you're a vampire, right?"

"Shut up. Ghosts and paranormal stuff freak me out, it always has. I can watch gore and violence without flinching, but some unknown entity terrorizing people…" she shuttered. "Freaky."

"Don't worry," I said, squeezing her against my side. "I wont let the ghosts get you."

She could tell I was picking on her and she jabbed my ribs with her elbow.

"Oh don't worry…If they come after us, I'll hold you down while I run away."

"I feel so loved."

"Whatever. Quit picking on me."

Sure enough, Ember spent the whole movie all tensed up and freaked out, sometimes hiding her face between my shoulder and the couch. I had to keep biting my lip to stop myself from laughing.

Then came the point in the movie where the suspense had reached it's max. Everything was quiet and Ember leaned forward slightly, her worried eyes fixed on the screen. I have no idea what happened in the movie, but just as it did, she jumped and I grabbed her in my arms, screaming like a banshee…Thank heavens she couldn't wet herself, because she would have.

**Ember POV**

I screamed.

Then I screamed some more.

Jasper's had gone from screaming to shaking with laughter. I broke his hold on me and threw him down on the floor. He never stopped laughing.

"Whitlock!" I screamed. "If you weren't already dead, I'd kill you!" I wasn't even sure if he could hear me over his laughter. "Jerk," I muttered, plopping back down on the couch.

After a moment, his laughter faded into snorts and giggles, then finally quieted. He sat up and looked at me sheepishly.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"No you're not."

He had to bite his lip to keep from laughing again.

"I really am…I just couldn't help myself." He giggled. "I don't think I've ever laughed so hard." Snort. "You should've seen your face." Laughing again.

Oh yes…He was going to pay.

"I'm thirsty," I said, with quite a bit of irritation.

He sobered up and stood to his feet.

"Alright, I think I could stand to hunt as well…Lets go."

"Uh-uh," I replied with a you-must-be-crazy look. "I'm not going out in the woods in the dark after all of _that_…You're going to have to bring it back to me."

"You can't order take-out, darlin'…This is dine-in only."

"Not tonight."

"Ember, there's nothing in that forest that can hurt you and I'll be right there with you. Now come on, I _am not _bringing anything back. Period."

"Then I guess I'll be thirsty until the sun comes up, because I _am not _going out there in the dark," I retorted, crossing my arms over my chest. I felt like sticking my tongue out at him.

"Suit yourself, but I'm going now. If you come to your senses, you know where to find me."

He quickly disappeared out the door and I smiled to myself. I was thirsty, that wasn't a lie, and I knew that if he came back full but empty-handed, my thirst would bother him…I would be sure of that.

I got up and turned on every light I could find. Ghosts movies really did creep me out.

I was going to put Friends back on when I noticed some photo albums on a bookshelf, so I grabbed one of them and took it to the couch. The pages were filled with photos of my new family in various forms of activity. There were lots of candid shots and quite a few of them playing baseball. Esme was seldom in any of the pictures. I figured she must've took most of them.

I stopped on a page that held an eight-by-ten photo. It was a snap-shot, taken in a huge living room. Edward sat at a Grand piano with his eyes closed, his fingers on the keys. Bella stood behind him with her hands on his shoulders. She was obviously still human. Emmett stood in front of a huge window holding a beautiful woman~ Rosalie, I assumed~ in his arms.

But I couldn't tear my eyes away from the two sitting in the corner of the room.

Jasper was seated in a leather armchair, gazing adoringly into the face of the girl on his lap. This had to be Alice. She beamed at him, her hand resting against his cheek…They looked so happy…so in love.

I wondered if anyone would ever look at me the way he looked at her. Doubtful…No one ever noticed me before, why start now? Plus, I had a feeling that becoming a vampire had seriously diminished my chances of finding a man.

Some serious growling outside pulled me from my depressing thoughts. I flung open the front door to see Jasper standing in the yard, holding a large black bear in his arms. The bear's back was to Jasper's chest and it thrashed violently in an effort to claw and bite him.

"Dinner is served," he said, releasing the bear.

It backed away from Jasper and stood on it's hind legs, then let out a menacing roar.

That was one angry bear.

"Ugh," I scoffed. "I didn't want _bear_ I wanted mountain lion." I smiled to myself as I turned on my heel and stomped back into the house.

The look on Jasper's face was priceless.

I heard a grunt and peered back out the door.

The bear had taken advantage of Jasper's lapse of focus and charged him. I heard one of it's teeth crack as it tried to bite into his shoulder.

I decided to let Jasper off the hook and tackled the bear off of him, quickly snapping it's neck and draining it. I had to laugh at his befuddled expression when I sat up and looked at him.

"Mountain lion…very funny." He stood and dusted himself off. "Be right back."

He scooped up the carcass and disappeared into the forest, returning after just a minute.

"So, did you have a good hunt?" I asked.

He nodded. "I'll have you know I carried that freaking monster for almost five miles."

"I can't believe you did that," I laughed. "Don't ever scare me like that again, and you wont have to do it again."

He chuckled. "Trust me, your reaction was well worth it."

"Whatever."

We went back into the house where he immediately spotted the open photo album on the floor. He went and knelt on the floor in front of it, then gently picked it up. He carried it to the couch and sat down.

That's when I saw it…On his face was the same loving gaze he wore in the picture, only now it was mixed with grief and a sadness words couldn't explain.

"I'm sorry if I wasn't supposed to get that out," I said, not sure what else to say. I hadn't mean to upset him.

"No, it's fine," he replied. "We can look at all of them if you'd like."

I grabbed the four other albums on the shelf and sat next to him, placing them on the coffee table in front of us.

We spent the next few hours looking through the albums. I think it was good for Jasper. He was able to laugh at some of the funny pictures of him and Alice doing crazy things.

The last album we looked through was full of wedding pictures. We stopped when we reached the first picture of Alice and Jasper.

"This was our first wedding," he said softly, tracing the outline of her face with his finger.

"How long had you been married when…" I let my voice trail off, not wanting to finish the sentence. He knew what I was asking.

He drew in a shaky breath. "Almost seventy years."

I couldn't stop the gasp that escaped my lips.

_Seventy years_?

I pictured in my head the photo of them sitting in the chair together. It had only been taken about a year before she died. After all that time, they still looked at each other the same way they had on their wedding day.

I felt an overwhelming need to cry, and realized it was coming from Jasper. I looked over at him to find his eyes closed, struggling to keep his emotions in check.

Well, I wasn't having that…Not on _my_ account.

I took the album off his lap, closed it and set it on the table with the others.

"Jasper?" I laid my hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, still struggling to maintain his hold.

"No. Don't hold that in, you _need to get it out."_

"_I can't…It'll be too much for you, Ember."_

"_I'll be fine," I murmured, already feeling the heaviness of his sorrow weighing down on me. "She wouldn't want you to hurt like this."_

_That did it._

_I can't even begin to describe the feeling of devastation that washed over me as Jasper crumpled into my lap, sobbing. I could barely breathe or move. The way I had felt the night I lost my parents was nothing in comparison._

_Once I gained control of my breathing and movements again, I stroked his hair and cried along with him._

_It was all I could do._


	8. Chapter 8

***Author's note* **Hey guys! Just wanted to say a quick "Thank you" to everyone who has been reading and a big THANK YOU VERY MUCH to those who have reviewed, it really help push me forward. I try to respond to each review personally, and I'm sorry if I missed you.

Anyhow, the last chapter was a rough one! Poor Jazz! :'( These chapters where Ember and Jasper are getting to know each other are going to be relatively light, but there is more action/suspense/violence/angst on the way, I promise. Oh look! Jasper just stepped in and wishes to have a word with me…Wow. If he ain't about 20 different flavors of _**hot**_~ Ok, he's talking and I'm not listening.

Jasper: So anyhow, things aren't going to be as hard on me in this chapter, right?

Ugh, look at those big puppy eyes…now I feel bad.

Mary: No sweetie, it'll be better in this one but…

Jasper: What?

Mary: You _are_ going to hurt her feelings.

Jasper: Do I have to?

Mary: Well, if I skip that part then you'll be kissing her instead.

Jasper: I'm not ready for that…Neither is she.

Mary: I know.

He thinks for a minute, then gets an idea.

Jasper: How about I kiss _you_ and you put something else in there besides me hurting her feelings?

Hmm.

Mary: You know, as tempting as~%*&$!mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm………..

(Just to let you all know, Jasper is a phenomenal kisser)

*Catching my breath*

Mary: Wow. Um, that was great, really…But I still have to go with my original idea. I'm sorry.

Jasper: Well, I tried.

Suddenly, Emmett sashays into the room in his Calvin's.

Emmett: Hey babe. *wink* Is it my turn to talk now?

Mary: Oh. My. Gosh.

Jasper: Dude, you're not even in the story right now.

Emmett is clearly disappointed.

Emmett: Dang it!

Mary: Okay hun, I promise when it comes time for the Cullens to return, it will be in your POV. Okay?

Emmett: Yes!

Mary: Now you guys get out of here, you're distracting me.

Emmett bounds up the stairs and Jasper starts after him.

Mary: Wait, Jasper! On second thought, you can come sit here on my desk and look pretty, just don't talk to me...People are starting to question my sanity.

Jasper: Okay, but can I look handsome or sexy instead?

Mary: Er, we'll go with handsome. Sexy would also be too distracting, although I don't think you can help it.

Ahh, now that's more like it. Nothing says inspiration like a HANDSOME Jasper sitting on your desk.

Alright, now that I've spent a whole page talking to invisible people (I'm okay, really)…On with the story!!

One more thing…Jasper is going to "see" Alice in this chapter. She's not literally appearing to him, but his mind is using things she has said in the past to "have a talk" with him. I figure over the last 70+ years, she's said every imaginable phrase to him and his complex vampire mind knows how to recall and put it together. Has he lost his mind? No. (that would be me…see dialog above) His subconscious just knows that she's the only one that can get through to him and put him in his place.

**Chapter Eight**

**Jasper POV**

It had been four days since I'd dumped all of my emotional baggage into Ember's lap~ literally~ and things were going great. It felt so good to finally have that burden lifted from my shoulders.

After Alice died, the only emotion I ever truly allowed to run it's course was anger. Edward and Emmett had stood by while I decimated a small patch of the forest in a fit of pent-up rage. The guilt, anguish and heartache, however, I just kept bottled up, not wanting my family to experience anything worse than what they were already going through. Ember had let me empty all of that on her without a word…I could never thank her enough.

We sat on the porch swing together, having just returned from a hunt. I watched the sunset and Ember immersed herself into the vampire novel she had been reading. I looked at her and smiled.

"What?" she said, not looking away from her book.

"Are you really enjoying that?" I asked.

"Yes. It isn't too bad, actually…Way off, but not too bad."

The house phone rang so I went to answer it. It was Edward.

He told me that none of them were coming this weekend because he and Bella had decided to go to Paris with Emmett and Rosalie. Bella had never seen Paris before. Carlisle was going to have to work because two of the other doctors in the hospital were sick with the flu, so he wouldn't be coming either.

I hung up the phone and went to break the news to Ember. She had been looking forward to their visit.

"Got some bad news," I said, taking my seat.

"I heard," she sighed. "Listened through your head. Hope you don't mind."

I shook my head. "I'm used to it…Are you sad that they aren't coming?"

She shrugged. "I just don't know what I'm going to do when I finish this book. I've only got three chapters left…And we've watched every movie in that box and covered every inch of the forest…"

"Tell you what…I'll go into town tomorrow and pick up some things. I'll get you some more books, grab some new movies and maybe a few bored games. Sound good?"

"What kind of books are you going to get me?"

"Well, vampire nonsense seems to entertain you."

She laughed and hit me with her book.

******

Ugh. Being in a Wal-Mart reminded me of why I hated shopping.

It was a rainy Friday morning and the store was packed. I'd prefer to shop online and have things delivered, but I really didn't want a human delivery man showing up at the house right now. That

God-awful store was the biggest one in town, and I knew I'd be able to get everything I needed, and hopefully not at the cost of some rude person's life.

"Why is this store so crowded?" I grumbled to myself, strangling the urge to growl at the person who had bumped into me.

"I know," a feminine voice agreed. I looked to see a petite blonde-haired girl standing a couple feet away, also trying to look at the DVDs. She startled a little at my expression, so I softened my features and forced a half-grin. "Um…it's all the sales. People go crazy on Black Friday."

"Black Friday?"

She looked at me like I was crazy. "You do know what Black Friday is, right?"

Of course I knew. It was Alice and Rosalie's favorite "holiday". My family hadn't celebrated any holidays for a while…I didn't even realize I'd missed Thanksgiving.

"Yeah, I do…Just slipped up on me I guess."

"I'm Kayla, by the way." She stepped toward me and held her hand out.

"Uh, I'm Jasper…and a bit of a germ phobic…Sorry," I said lamely.

She giggled. "That's okay, my sister is the same way, that's why I'm here alone…You new in town?"

"Sort of. Just ran out of stuff to do at home and had no idea of the mess I'd be getting myself into when I came here." She bit her lip and I could feel that she was trying to work up her nerve. Great. "I'm here on vacation with my girlfriend." Worked like a charm. She smiled through her disappointment.

"Oh I see. She didn't want to shop?"

"No, she's not feeling well."

"Kayla!" A male called to her from the end of the aisle and her face turned bright red. "I've been looking all over for you!"

Unbelievable. She was trying to pick me up with her boyfriend in the store!

He came and stood between us, his back to me.

"Is this guy bothering you?" he whispered, thinking I couldn't hear him. I snorted, trying not to laugh.

"No!" she hissed. "It was nice to meet you, Jasper. Maybe we'll see you around," she said, ready to escape the situation.

"Nice to meet you, too, Kayla," I replied with a huge grin.

The guy actually turned to give me a dirty look before they rounded the end of the aisle, but the look he got in return was enough to send him quickly on his way. I could hear him telling her she should be careful who she talked to.

He had no idea.

Two hours and a whole lot of frustration later, I was finally pulling into the driveway at home. I think I'd rather deal with a newborn snarling over a UPS man than have to do _that_ again.

As soon as I opened the car door, the scent of a human hit my nostrils. I rushed into the house, startling Ember when the door flew open and hit the wall.

"There was a human here." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah," she said, nonchalant. "Some satellite dish salesman…I told him we weren't interested." "You _answered_ the door?" I growled.

She flinched. "Well, yes…but I didn't open it."

My anger was being replaced by irritation. I had explained to her how dangerous it could be for a human to get anywhere near her.

"You shouldn't have even gone to the door!" I snapped. "That man probably had a wife and children that he may not have gone home to thanks to your carelessness." "But I didn't…His scent wasn't that strong…it didn't even~"

"He must've been down-wind. If you were a _normal_ newborn, not even _that_ would've mattered! That was really stupid, Ember." I'm not really sure she'd heard anything after the way I'd said "normal". I could feel how badly I had hurt her, and regretted it immensely. "I didn't mean~"

She was already gone, the only sound was a bedroom door slamming somewhere upstairs.

I sighed and hung my head. "Good going, Jasper," I mumbled to myself.

After all she had done for me and everything she'd gone through _because_ of me…that was how I repaid her, all because I had a bad day at Wal-Mart.

I drug myself out to the car and brought in the bags from my shopping trip. I set them down in the floor and walked up the stairs, stopping at the door to the master bedroom. I lifted my hand to knock.

"Go away, Jasper!" she cried, her voice muffled.

She needed space…and a little time.

I needed to run.

I hadn't gotten too far before a vision stopped me dead in my tracks.

Alice stood before me, wearing my favorite dress. Her hands were on her hips and she tapped her foot impatiently.

My mouth opened, but no sound came out. I knew she wasn't really there, but the sight of her still knocked the wind out of me.

"What are you doing?" she said, annoyed.

Would answering her make me crazy?…I decided I didn't care.

"I'm running."

"Well thank you, captain obvious…Why?"

I leaned my back against a tree and slid to a sitting position.

"Because I hurt someone…I don't know how to fix it."

"She didn't mean to, Jasper."

I sighed. "I know."

"I expect you to apologize…More than just saying you're sorry. It has to be a grand gesture."

My mind drifted back to the one time I had really hurt Alice's feelings. I had snapped at her for always watching my future. That is what she had said to me then. I could feel a lump starting to form in my throat.

"Can't I just stay here with you?" I asked, my voice cracking.

"No, silly. You have a life to live." I shook my head. "You have to let me go, Jasper."

"I don't think…I can," I said through my sobs.

The ghost of her image touched my arm and she smiled. "You're so strong. All I want is for you to be happy."

I reached out and brushed my fingers against the outline of a face that wasn't really there.

"Are _you_ happy?" I whispered.

She smiled. "I am. Now go…Fix this." She took a step back and began to fade.

"Alice!"

"I love you," she whispered, disappearing completely.

"I love you. Goodbye my love," I answered back to the wind.

After sitting there in silence for some time, I decided it was time to go home and try to fix the mess I had made.

I walked back at a human pace, giving myself time to think up a "grand gesture" as my Alice had suggested.

I had been gone for hours once I reached the house, but Ember was still held up in the bedroom. I got the same response as I had before when I tried to knock, but I wasn't giving up as easily. I turned the knob and pushed the door open a little, stepping inside. Ember turned from her spot on the bed where she was sitting cross-legged and glared at me.

"I _told_ you to go away," she barked. "I can _make_ you go away."

"I know, but please don't." I walked attentively to the edge of the bed, half expecting to be flung through the wall. "May I please sit down?"

"Whatever." She pulled her knees to her chest and rested her head on them, facing away from me.

I sat and drew in a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Ember…More so than I can even describe~"

"Don't worry about it," she interrupted, her tone sharp. "You just told me the truth. I'm a freak, even for a vampire…I get it."

I reached around her and turned her by her shoulders to face me. She kept her face turned from me, so I used my fingers under her chin to turn her face.

"You know I don't feel that way…I'd had a bad morning, I was frustrated and I took it out on you over a simple mistake. I want to make it up to you, if you'll let me…Will you let me?"

"Maybe," she said holding back a few sobs. "What did you have in mind?"

I reached under the bed and pulled out a small duffle bag. "Here. Pack anything you might need over a couple of days."

"What?…You're taking me out?"

"No questions. Just pack," I said as I grabbed another bag and threw a few of my things in it.

****Chapter end notes****

**Jasper: What the heck was that?**

**Mary: What?**

**Jasper: You said it wasn't going to be as bad!! I just had to say goodbye to Alice…Again!**

**Mary: I'm sorry! That's just the way it went! Next chapter is going to be all good, I promise!**

**Jasper: It better be, or no more kisses for you.**

**Mary: *gasp***

**Okay, enough of that. Reviewers get a visit from Emmett in his Calvin's!! WOOHOO!! Hit that button!!**


	9. Chapter 9

**.com/artist/Lady+Antabellum/track/Need+You+Now**** (link to the song Jasper & Ember sing in the car)**

**.com/artist/Faith+Hill/track/This+Kiss**** (some listening music for this chapter…heeheehee) (the video on the site will not play, but there is a link under the video to hear the song)**

**Chapter Nine**

**Ember POV**

I had no idea where we were going and I was still very much unhappy.

We hadn't spoken a word since he told me not to ask any questions. So I sat silently in the passenger seat, holding a duffle bag in my lap and watching the world fly by. I could see Jasper's reflection in my window. He kept peeking over at me, looking like he wanted to say something, but couldn't find the right words.

I wasn't really mad at him…Never really was mad at him…Just hurt.

"I can take this anymore," Jasper muttered after another silent hour. He pulled the car off the side of the road and stopped. He turned sideways in his seat to face me. "Ember, look at me." I sighed and turned to face him. "I'm so sorry. I over-reacted…I just~" He had that look again, like he was struggling for words. He sat back in his seat and stared out the windshield as he spoke. "I just know what it's like to…take a human life. I don't want you to ever have to live with that kind of guilt."

"Jasper." He looked over at me, his eyes begging for forgiveness. I couldn't stand it. "I'm not angry at you, and I understand where you're coming from."

"Please say you forgive me for yelling at you."

"I do…I'm not at all angry, I'm just~" "Not happy," he said, finishing my sentence. "And that's my fault. I'm going to fix it though." "I still can't ask questions?"

He shook head and put the car in drive. "Nope…But please do talk to me, the silence is driving me insane."

"Could we listen to the radio?"

"Sure." He reached down and pressed the button to turn the radio on. Classical music flooded the car and he looked a little disgusted. "Ugh. Edward." He flipped through the stations until he came across something he liked. "Country okay with you?"

"My favorite."

That made him smile.

I Need You Now by Lady Antebellum came on and we sang along, I to the female vocals and he to the male vocals. Jasper had an amazing voice.

"We could _so_ get paid for that," he said once the song ended.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Maybe _you_ could."

"What? You were much better than me!"

"Right."

After driving until well after dark~ the last hour of the trip spent driving down some forgotten, winding two-track~ we finally reached out destination…Sort of…We had to run the rest of the way in.

Jasper led me to a tiny cottage. It's only source of light were two oil lamps, and I could tell the place was quite old.

"So, this is going to cheer me up?" I asked, trying to sound cheerful.

He chuckled. "I'm afraid that'll have to wait 'till daylight…I'm sorry."

"That's okay."

"I brought stuff to keep us busy." He pulled a few different card games out of his duffle bag, along with a battery-powered DVD player.

We sat at a small table and played cards for hours. I won every game, which I scolded him for. He claimed to just be having bad luck, but I knew better.

Halfway through our second movie on the DVD player, he stood and smiled.

"Time to go."

He pulled a long, black piece of cloth from his back pocket and handed it to me.

"What's this for?"

"Just put it over your eyes. I'll carry you out." "Are you for real?"

"Please?"

"Oh, fine."

No sooner than I got the blindfold on, I felt myself being scooped up and rushed through the trees.

The air smelled good here, like nothing I had ever experienced. I could hear a sound, something constant, and it grew louder the farther we went.

Soon I was set down on a hard surface~ a rock, I assumed ~and I reached up to pull the blindfold off.

"Not yet," he said, stopping my hands with his. "Just another minute."

I tapped my foot against the rock, impatient.

"The suspense is killing me, Jasper."

"Okay," he chuckled, pulling the blindfold from my eyes.

I was speechless. Breathless.

The rock I sat on was situated on a hill just past the trees where we had come from. The hill sloped gently, then smoothed out into white sand. The sun had just begun to rise, reflecting off the water and sparkling in the foamy waves. Little birds ran back and forth with the waves on the shore, catching their breakfast.

It was untouched…Unspoiled…Just a little corner of the world that no one seemed to know about, where the forest just magically evaporated into paradise.

Jasper watched me soak it all in, waiting expectantly for me to say something.

"Jasper," I whispered. "It's beautiful…Thank you."

"I'm glad you like it."

"I…I've never seen the ocean before."

"Never?"

I shook my head. He knelt in front of me and pulled the shoes and socks from my feet, then stood, his hand extended. I took his hand and we walked until the waves washed over our feet.

"How did you find this place?"

"I used to come here all the time when I wanted to be alone," he replied softly. "It's my refuge…A place where no emotion can touch me but my own…You're the first person I've ever brought here."

The magnitude of his last few words nearly knocked me over.

If I were the first, that would mean that he'd never even brought Alice there. She was everything to him, yet he shared this with _me_? I just couldn't comprehend it.

_I don't deserve it_, I thought to him, not able to speak over the lump in my throat.

His hand gently captured my cheek and lifted my face so he could look into my eyes.

"You do," he purred.

"No," I sobbed. I began to cry and babble about how his apology seriously out-weighed what he had done wrong. "This is just…too much, Jasper…I can't~"

My lips were silenced by his.

The kiss was urgent, but gentle, and sent a shock of electric energy through my body.

I pulled away with a gasp, stumbling a few steps back.

**Jasper POV**

I'd been fighting my feelings for Ember since the moment I first laid eyes on her. My little "talk" with Alice finally convinced me that it was okay to let myself love again.

Ember's reaction, however, had me worried that I'd moved too quickly.

We stood staring at each other, trying to catch our breath. Her eyes were full of questions and I didn't know what to say.

"Ember," I began, but she held up her hand, silencing me.

"Did you mean that?…Or did you just think it was a good idea?" she asked.

I closed the distance between us and pulled her into my arms.

"I meant it," I murmured, my lips just barely touching hers as I spoke. "And I think it's a great idea."

With a whimper of surrender, she melted into my arms. I poured every ounce of passion I could muster into our kiss, eliciting a moan from the sweet angel I held against my chest. A growl of pleasure rumbled in my chest as her fingers tangled in my hair. As I placed open-mouthed kissed along her jaw and neck, I suddenly realized we weren't upright anymore…Nor were we anywhere near the spot where I had first kissed her.

I had her pressed beneath me against a flat-topped boulder that slanted into the water, about twenty yards from where we had started. I could feel the waves rising and falling at my waist, and Ember giggling at my obviously baffled expression. I looked down at her and smiled.

"Sorry?" What else could I say? "I uh…guess I got a little carried away."

"A _little_?" she laughed.

I shrugged. "Welcome to kissing an empath."

"Mmm…Not too bad for my first kiss."

I pushed myself up on my palms. "First ever?" I asked, doubtful.

"Well, a boy kissed me once in the seventh grade…it was on the cheek though, so it doesn't count in my book."

"You're amazing, Ember," I said with a chuckle.

"I was thinking more along the lines of _boring_, but if you want to think of me as amazing, that's okay with me."

I dipped my head, planting a few chaste kisses on her lips, trying to keep my emotions in check. She growled and tugged at the back of my neck, trying to pull me closer.

"Easy tiger," I laughed. "I'm going to get up and take a walk now, before we…Well, let's just say I need to walk away right now, or this is going to turn into something we aren't ready for."

"Okay," she agreed, releasing her hold on my neck. "Go cool off, you dirty empath."

I laughed and pulled her up with me. I kept her hand in mine, fingers laced together, as we walked along the beach.

_Wait a minute_, I thought, looking down at my chest. "I know I came here with a shirt on." My eyes scanned the ground, quickly landing on my now-shredded shirt. "You ripped my shirt off!"

Ember looked at the shirt, then back at me. "Hmm…I totally don't remember doing that."

"And you called _me_ dirty!"

"Hey, I was under the influence of _your_ dirty empathetic powers!"

"Oh, I see…So what you're saying is…I intoxicate you."

She sighed. "I suppose you do…maybe I'm just a pushover."

I stopped and pulled her into my arms again and whispered in her ear. "Don't feel bad, darlin'…You have _no idea what you do to me."_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

**Ember POV**

We spent the whole day out there on that beach.

We went swimming, and he took me to a see a shipwreck a little ways off the coast. I was amazed by how fast and deep we could swim, and the perfect clarity I had underwater.

Romance was kept at a minimum. After all, this was new to both of us and we had no desire to rush things. In reality, we still barely new each other. After thoroughly exploring the beach and the forest and water surrounding it, we just walked and talked, hand-in-hand.

"How long are we staying here?" I asked.

"A day or two…Unless you're ready to go back sooner."

"No!…I love it here."

"You're just hoping I'll get carried away again…perv," he said playfully. I punched his arm and he laughed, running ahead of me. "Bet you're wishin' you hadn't ripped my shirt off…It's just killin' you isn't it?"

He stopped and posed, flexing his muscles. I scooped up a handful of wet sand and threw it at him, hitting him square in the center of his chest. His mouth fell open and he looked down at his chest, then back at me.

"Oh no you _did not _just throw mud at me," he said.

"No, I threw wet sand at you," I corrected.

"It's on now."

He reached to grab a handful of sand, but I held him in place while I got my own handful and lobbed it, cracking up when it hit his left butt cheek.

"No abilities!" he shouted.

"Oh fine, ya baby!"

I let him go and was soon dodging sand balls. It didn't take long for me to be covered in sand, he was a whole lot faster than I was.

He finally quit throwing sand, but the game wasn't over. Even at play, Jasper was absolutely menacing. His intent to capture was written all over him, from the intimidating stance of his lean body to the evil smirk of his lips…And he had me cornered.

I peeked over my shoulder, considering taking him into the forest.

"You don't want to do that, darlin'…trust me," he purred, blocking me as I feinted to the right.

Finally, I spotted an opening and bolted.

I was wrong.

I felt and arm wrap around my waste and he tackled ~yes, _tackled_~ me to the ground, rolling to stop on top of me. He quickly had my arms pinned, holding my wrists in his hands on either side of my head, and he was sitting on my hips.

"I win." He smiled.

"What did you expect?…You _do_ realize you're like, twice my size, right?"

"That's irrelevant. Now the question is…Whatever shall I do with you?" He leaned down to kiss me, but I turned my head in time for his lips to connect with my cheek. He sat up a little, looking hurt. "What was that for?"

"Well, I wouldn't want to give you the wrong idea…Wouldn't want you to think that I can't control myself around you or anything."

He chuckled, then his expression changed to one of concentration as he gazed down at me. It didn't take long to figure out what he was doing when I suddenly wanted to rip the rest of his clothes off.

"Hey!…No _abilities_!" I shouted, mimicking his words from earlier.

He laughed and rolled to the side, propping himself on his left elbow.

"Oh I see. You want for me to admit that I'm the one intoxicated by _you_, and how extremely difficult it is for me to keep my hands off of you…Is that right?"

I pretended to think for a minute, then turned my head a little to look up at him.

"That would be a good start."

He leaned down and placed feather-light kisses along my jaw, from my chin to my ear.

"I admit it," he whispered in my ear. "Unashamedly."

This time there was no resisting.

**Jasper POV**

Ember gasped when my right hand clutched her hip and pulled her to me, but she didn't fight it.

I had forgotten what it felt like to hold someone that way…The raw passion and excitement that swirled around me, threatening to drown me as her lips danced with mine.

Oh, what a sweet death it would be!

I rolled to my back, pulling her onto my chest. Her lips ventured from mine to trail along my jaw to my neck, and I groaned under the pressure of keeping my emotions in check. But I was quickly getting lost in the haze.

Suddenly she stopped, her surprise and subsequent giggling pulling me from the haze.

"What is it?" I asked. "I really can't take any more damage to my ego, Ember."

She sat up and stuck her tongue out at me.

"You had sand in your ear." Giggle. "And I found it."

Okay…that was funny.

I sat up and gave her a sheepish grin as she tried to get rid of the sand.

"That's what you get for throwing it at me!"

She shrugged. "Still worth it." She picked at her hair and grimaced. "Ugh…I need a shower."

Uh-oh. "There is no running water out here…Sorry."

"No lakes or ponds either? I'll settle for any body of fresh water right now."

I knew of a small spring fed pond, but I needed to check it out before I took her there. It was close to a campground in one of the forest parks.

"Go get whatever you need from the cabin and meet me back here."

"Where are you going?"

I explained to her that I needed to check the area before I took her there. I doubted that there would be any humans nearby, as it was definitely _not_ camping season, but I would rather be safe than sorry.

Sure enough, the area was desolate. I returned to the beach and brought Ember back to the pond.

"I don't suppose that thing is fed by a hot spring is it?" she asked, eyeing the water.

"Afraid not…But it wont bother you."

She hung her clean clothes and towel up on a nearby tree branch and set her shampoo and body wash down next to the water.

I leaned against a tree and grinned at her. "Need any help?"

"Get _out_ of here!" she said, laughing.

"Alright. I'll be over there, where the pond curves around the trees." I pointed to the spot I was referring to. "I'm going to get washed up, too."

"You want me to throw you my shampoo when I'm done?" "Pink shampoo? Probably smells girly, so no thanks."

She rolled her eyes and I left her to get cleaned up.

The spot I had pointed out wasn't far away. I walked through the trees, stopping near the edge of the water. I pulled my pants off and shook them, trying to get rid of as much sand as possible. A whistle pealed through the air and I looked over my shoulder to discover that Ember could still see me a little through the trees. I chuckled and shamelessly wiggled my hips.

"There's more where that comes from, babe!…Want me to turn around?"

I heard her laugh and slip into the water.

_You just keep your little eyes right over there_, _mister_, she thought to me.

_Oh, so you get to look and I don't?_ That didn't seem fair.

_I didn't look on purpose_.

Right. _You'll have to sell that to some other sucker_.

It wasn't long before I caught the scent of her shampoo wafting through the air. I was right about it being girly, but that didn't stop me from filling my lungs with it. Combined with the scent that was just _her_…heavenly.

Once satisfied that I was sufficiently clean, I slipped out of the water and crept noiselessly to the tree where Ember had hung her towel. I slipped it off the branch and dried off, then put my jeans on, all without so much as a whisper.

I couldn't help but smile when my wandering eyes spotted Ember.

I chastised myself for being a peeping tom, but couldn't look away.

She stood waist deep in the water, her back to me, humming the tune to the song we had sung together in the car. Her wet hair stuck in an array of spikes to the nape of her neck and the moonlight shimmered on the water around her.

Just as I turned to go, the sound of a pick-up truck somewhere beyond the hill on the other side of the pond made me stop. Ember heard it, too.

"Jasper?" she called, turning to look in the direction I had gone earlier. Our eyes met and she sank into the water with a gasp. "What are you doing _there_?"

"Using your towel."

"Are you sure that's all?"

I opened my mouth to try and stutter out an explanation when I heard the truck stop and it's door open.

"Hold your breath!" I hissed, but the scent of fresh human blood had already reached my nostrils, causing flames to engulf my throat. I took a step toward the water, ready to dive in after Ember, knowing it would be no use.

She hadn't moved an inch, or quit breathing.

"Ember?"

"It…doesn't bother me…It smells good but…I'm in control."

Footsteps began to get louder as whoever was in the truck made their way toward the pond.

"That's really good Ember, but you have to get out. Whoever that is can't see you in the middle of this ice cold water." I held her towel open for her and turned my head so she could get out. Once I had her wrapped in the towel, I pointed to the trees behind me. "Get dressed…Something isn't right. The smell of blood is way too strong."

I walked forward a few steps, making sure that I was still hidden.

Ember came to stand next to me just as a man appeared on the other side of the pond. He carried a battered and bloody woman in his arms. She was young, maybe only in her twenties. The man looked to be in his thirties. He carried her to the edge of the water and dropped her, then turned and stalked back into the trees.

"Jasper," Ember whimpered. "She's still alive."

The man reappeared, carrying a large rock. I winced and Ember gasped when he stood beside the girl and dropped it. It landed beside her and we both breathed a sigh of relief.

"We can't…Jasper, I can't just watch~"

I turned to face her and grasped her shoulders. "Listen to me Ember…I _know_ I can't get near that girl. I'm not going to test myself like that. I want you to get her and take her to the hospital. Just run due east." I pointed. "It wont take long to reach the city. The hospital is easy to spot…_Do_ _not_ stay around to answer questions. Make sure she's taken care of, then leave _immediately_…Understand?" She nodded. "Go. I'll take care of _him_."

****Chapter End Notes****

Wowee, that was a freakin rough chapter to write! I struggled with writer's block through the WHOLE thing! So anyhow, I hope you enjoy! Sorry for the cliffy, but it had to be so J

Just want to thank all who have been reading & all who have reviewed & added to faves. You guys rock!

Next chappy, would you like to see a little bit of "Darksper"? Cuz I SOOO want to write him!


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

**Ember POV**

Jasper barely had the last words past his lips when I ran.

I could hear the hear the man approaching through the trees as I scooped the limp girl into my arms and rushed off in the direction Jasper had pointed.

I looked down at her as I ran, willing her to hold on. No one deserved to die the way _he_ had planned for her. I could feel her blood soaking through my shirt and I pushed myself faster.

Soon, the lights of the city came into view and I almost cried with joy. She was still alive…She still had a chance.

Thankfully I didn't have to slow down much when I reached the city. It was late and no one was out.

I did slow down as I rounded the final corner, breathing a sigh of relief at the sight of the emergency room doors. I swiped a fedora off the head of a man sleeping at the bus stop and put it on, dipping the rim as low as possible.

Just as I neared the doors, they slid open and a doctor stepped out. He was pulling a cigarette from behind his ear when he noticed me. I pretended to struggle under the girl's weight.

"Please help," I whimpered. "I found her in an alley a few blocks away."

He dropped his cigarette and took the girl from me, shouting orders as he rushed back into the emergency room. I watched through the double set of glass doors as he laid her on a gurney and she was surrounded by medical staff. A nurse looked up and waved me in, after the doctor had pointed over his shoulder. When she glanced away, I took my leave, whispering a silent prayer for the broken girl on the stretcher.

**Japer POV**

I made my way around, as soon as Ember had cleared the area, stalking in silently behind the would-be killer as he made his way back to the pond. He carried another heavy rock, and had rope hanging from his back pocket.

My stomach turned as the realization of what he was going to do sunk in.

He planned to tie the rocks to her and…

With my throat aflame from the scent of blood and my vision turning a hazy red, I moved forward, closing the gap between us.

He stopped abruptly and dropped the rock, looking around frantically.

"Missing something?" I asked in a low growl.

He spun around and nearly tripped over the rock he had dropped, then pulled a pistol from the back of his pants and pointed it at me.

"This is none of your business, kid. Where is that little whore?" he sneered.

I took a step forward, out into the moonlight.

I watched as his skin turned pale, a menacing smirk beginning to form on my lips.

"She's safe now…But I'm afraid that's not true in _your_ case." I chuckled darkly. "You see, you _made_ this my business when you chose to interrupt my evening."

"Y-you can't threaten me, punk!" he stuttered.

He pulled the trigger.

I smiled and stepped forward.

He fired again. The bullet ricocheted off my forehead, only serving to enrage me further.

I snarled and moved towards him. He turned and ran, but I quickly cut him of. My sudden appearance in front of him caused him to skid to a halt and fall to his back-side.

"Who-who are you?" he muttered, shuffling backwards.

I grabbed him by the throat and lifted him off his feet.

"Wrong question," I hissed. "_What_ I am is your worst nightmare personified. I am your death." I threw him to the ground and placed my foot on his chest before he could attempt to move away. "But before you die, you're going to tell me why I'm killing you…I want to hear it from your lips…What's your name?"

"I'm not telling you anything!" he spat.

I pressed down with my foot, until I heard a slight crack.

He screamed. "John!…My name is John!"

"Very good, John. And _her _name?"

"Abby," he sneered.

"Hmm." I grabbed him by the throat again and sat him down at the base of a tree. "Now tell me, John…What did Abby do to deserve to die?"

"She was leaving me…Running off with some creep."

He was lying about something, I could feel it.

"Don't lie to me John…What's the real reason she was leaving?"

"I'm not lying!" he shouted.

I snatched his hand and squeezed. "You aren't?…Really?" I asked, cocking my head to the side.

"Alright!" he screamed when his hand made a sickening cracking sound. "She was leaving because I beat her! _Someone_ had to keep her in line!"

"And I assume you caught her trying to escape." He nodded. "Then what did you do?"

"You're just going to kill me anyways! Why don't you get it over with!"

I laughed then got in his face. "Trust me, John…You are going to _beg_ for death before this night is over…But you and I are both going to have a full understanding of why." I dropped my knee into his thigh, snapping the bone there. He doubled over in agony and vomited. "Now, John…What did you do?"

I used my ability to calm him and coerce him into speaking.

"I…I held her down in…the back of…my truck. Took what was mine…Then I let her run…Shot her before she got too far."

I retrieved the pistol from where he had dropped it earlier. Kneeling beside him, I pressed the barrel to his shoulder. "Not so fun to be the helpless victim…Is it, John?" I murmured in his ear, then pulled the trigger.

I had to step back for a moment to regain control and choke down the fresh flow of venom to my mouth. I refused to take any part of that deplorable monster into me.

Over the next few hours, I made him tell me about his relationship with Abby, breaking a bone whenever he got stubborn. They had been together for five years, and he had been abusing her for quite some time mentally. The physical abuse had started within the past year.

"She's mine!" he argued. "I can do what I please to her."

"Is that right?" I asked. He nodded weakly. "Well then, I suppose as your natural predator, I may do as I please with you."

Ten minutes later, he was crying, begging me to put him out of his misery. Weather I did or not, I knew he didn't have much longer. He'd lost a lot of blood both internally and externally and it was taking all my effort to keep him from going into shock.

I'd had enough.

I sighed and knelt beside him. "Alright."

He looked up at me with his blood-shot eyes and smiled~ _smiled_~ at me. "You can't kill us all you know…For every one of me you take out, there are hundreds more."

"And any that cross my path as you did will suffer the same fate," I murmured as I took his head in my hands and snapped his neck.

**Ember POV**

I'd been back at the cabin pacing the floor for almost three hours when Jasper finally came through the door. I have no idea why I was so nervous.

He looked…exhausted.

I started toward him but he help up his hand to stop me.

He was shaking, and he wouldn't look at me.

"Jasper?" I could see blood spattered on the side of his face and his shoulder. "Are you~" I took another step and he shook his head.

"Please, Ember…You can't~" His voice broke and he looked at me, his topaz eyes filled with shame. "I'm a monster…No better than the one I just~"

Not a chance I was letting him travel _that_ road.

I crossed the distance between us and captured his face in my hands, forcing him to look at me.

"No. Do you hear me? Don't you _dare_ compare yourself to that creature."

He lifted his hand to touch my cheek with his fingertips. "How can you say that?…Look at me. This is _his_ blood…I'm still the same monster I was all those years ago."

"I _am_ looking at you…I don't see his blood in your eyes, Jasper…You weren't a monster back then either, just a victim of circumstance…I _will not _tolerate you doing this to yourself."

"I don't deserve you," he whispered, resting his forehead against mine.

I pushed up on my tiptoes and kissed him. "Yes you do," I whispered against his lips.

He finally relaxed and wrapped his arms around me.

I laid my head against his chest and he rested his cheek against the top of my head. We stood there for a few moments, just enjoying the feel of holding one another before he finally spoke.

"I want to get cleaned up, but I'm not going back to the pond…How bout we drive for a while and get a hotel room somewhere?"

"Sounds nice."

Two hours into the ride, I thought I was going to lose my mind.

We hadn't uttered a sound. Not that I didn't want to, but Jasper seemed to be thinking very hard about something. It took every ounce of self-control I had not to just read his mind. By his expression, whatever was going on in that mind of his was pretty serious.

"Thank you," he finally murmured.

"For what?" I asked.

"For giving me privacy…I can tell it's killing you."

I giggled. "Well, I just want to know that you're okay."

"I'm better than okay," he replied, pulling to a stop in front of a hotel. I had been so focused on not reading his mind, I hadn't noticed the city. He looked down at his chest and grinned. "Well, I can't go in like this." He handed me a credit card. "Zip up your jacket. Get the best room they have available."

"They're going to ask for ID."

"It's with the credit card."

I didn't realize he handed me two cards. Behind the credit card was a driver's license…_my_ driver's license. "Ember McCarty?"

"You're Emmett's sister…Congratulations…Or I'm sorry, whichever is appropriate."

I was confused. "When did you…I don't~"

He chuckled. "We have our ways. Go…Get the room."

**Jasper POV**

I watched her as she walked away, still a little confused, studying her new ID and the credit card bearing her new name.

I felt a little guilty for making her so uncomfortable with my silence, and then for lying to her about being okay. I just had some things to sort through in my head. After two hours of silence, I still didn't have it figured out.

You'd think, as an empath, I'd at the very least understand my own feelings and emotions. But as of late, mine were the most bewildering.

I knew that Alice would want me to move on, to find love again. And I felt that my heart had begun to heal enough to maybe allow myself to feel love again.

But how did I feel about Ember?…Did I love her?

I wanted to.

Whenever she wasn't in my arms, they ached to hold her. Every inch of my skin yearned to touch her…But was it just lust?

No. Even lust wasn't so powerful as the longing I felt for her.

It was in that moment of contemplation that I realized my need for her. Like the earth needs rain, I needed her.

I gasped as I stared at the little five-foot-two angel walking towards me. My whole world shifted, my whole existence altered, and in that very moment she became the center of it all. My stone heart broke, reshaping itself to fit her mould. I had never felt anything so powerful…Not even…

"Oh…Alice. I~"

_Let me go…It's okay_, her voice whispered.

"Jasper?" Ember's worried voice startled me. I was still staring through my window at nothing. I was too stunned to notice her get in the car. "Hey! Are you alright?…I just told you our room number and you didn't hear me."

I turned to face her, not able to change my astonished expression. "I…I'm alright."

"You sure about that?…You don't _look _alright."

"I uh…think I just had an epiphany."

She chucked. "Well I'd love to hear about it…_After we get settled…Okay?"_

_I nodded, stifling back the panic trying to overwhelm me._

_What if she didn't feel the same? _


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

**Jasper POV**

The room was nice. It had it's own living room and dinette, not that we needed to cook anything. The bedroom held a king-sized bed with expensive looking coverings and a flat screen TV.

Ember insisted that I shower first and I didn't fight her too much on it. I was ready to be rid of the evidence of my encounter with John.

I did my best not to think about anything in the shower. I was already on emotional overload and quite exhausted from it. I didn't want to deal with my emotions or anyone else's for that matter for a good while.

I got out of the shower and threw on a pair of sweats, then stretched sideways across the bed while Ember took her shower. The remote to the TV was on the bed, so I grabbed it and switched the TV on. After a little channel surfing, a news station caught my attention.

The reporter stood on the outside of a hospital I immediately recognized.

"The victim is described as a female in her mid-twenties," the reporter said. "No word yet on the specifics of her condition, but the doctors are hopeful." The reporter then turned to a nurse who had been standing out of frame. "I understand you were on duty when the victim was brought in…What can you tell us about that?"

The nurse was a tall, slender woman in her late thirties with sandy blonde hair. She fidgeted a little, not quite comfortable with the attention.

"Well…She was carried to the ER doors by a girl. Doctor Wallis had just gone out for a break when she came up. I only saw her through the doors. I waved her in, then I had to look at a blood pressure reading…She was gone when I looked back up."

"I see. What did she look like? Did the hospital security cameras capture anything?"

I sat up, wondering the answer to that question myself.

"The cameras couldn't tell much…She was wearing a hat." I breathed a sigh of relief and stretched back out. "I got a good look at her face though…I'll never forget it…Like an angel."

That made me smile.

I heard the shower stop and turned the TV off. In a few moments Ember stepped out; The sight of her took my breath away.

She wore black cotton shorts that reached mid-thigh, her hair was wet and spiky from being towel-dried and she smelled _amazing_. But I couldn't tear my eyes from the familiar spaghetti-strapped tank-top she wore. It was yellow with black straps and had the word 'hottie' in flaming red and orange letters around each side.

She stopped short at my expression. "Is there something wrong?"

I shook my head and stood, not taking my eyes from her. Stopping in front her, I allowed my fingers to ghost over one of the straps.

"I just…haven't seen this shirt in a while…It's one of the only items of clothing I ever bought for Alice…She wore it a lot."

"I'm _so_ sorry," she gasped, turning away. "I'll change." I grabbed her arm and pulled her against my chest. "Don't be silly…It looks good on you."

"You don't mind?" she asked, looking up at me with worried eyes.

I smiled down at her. "Not at all," I whispered, dipping my head to press my lips to hers.

So much for an emotionless evening.

Ember's hands slid from my chest and around my neck, her fingers knotting themselves into my hair and tugging gently as she pulled me closer. My hands traveled down her back and settled around her waist, gripping her tightly.

I wanted her with every fiber of my being.

I could feel her emotions warring with each other. Lust with restraint and desire with reason.

She wasn't ready…Not like I was in that moment. She still had no idea how deeply in love I'd fallen and I had no idea if she even loved me back. I forced myself away with a growl and we stood at arm's length, panting. I could see my blackened irises reflecting in her eyes.

"I'm…sorry, Jasper," she said breathlessly.

"What? For what?" What on _earth _was she apologizing for?

"I…Ugh!" She turned and plopped down on the bed. "I get you all worked up, _knowing _that I'm not~"

I sat next to her and held my index finger to her lips. "Shhh…You were walking away. _I_ pulled you back and kissed _you_, remember?" She nodded. "And what is my ability again?" She giggled. "Exactly. I can get myself worked up just fine."

"So…Now what?…Oh! Don't you have an epiphany to share?"

I sighed. "I think I've had enough emotional stress for one day. I'd like to just lay here with my _angel_ and watch a movie or two."

"Angel?" She looked at me with her brows pulled together. "Why did you say it like that?"

I chuckled. "Well, that's what they're calling you on the news…I happen to agree."

"The _news_?" she gasped. "I'm on the _news_?"

"It's alright, darlin'…The security cameras didn't get a clear picture. Nice work on the hat, by the way…The nurse who saw you said you looked like an angel."

"Oh." She rolled her eyes. "Did they say anything about the girl?"

"Abby. They're thinking she's going to pull through." I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and squeezed. "You did good."

******

We ended up watching three movies on pay-per-view. They were all comedies, to keep a light atmosphere.

She sat up, with her back resting against the cushioned headboard and I laid beside her with my head in her lap. She just about had me purring, the way she ran her fingers through my hair and down my arm. I really couldn't tell you what any of the movies were about, I was too focused on feeling nothing but her touch.

Thankfully, it turned out to be a cloudy day. We returned to the house only to close things up and gather our belongings, then headed out to catch a flight home.

On the way to the airport I placed a call to the guy who we pay handsomely to do random tasks for us. I needed to have Edward's car brought home from the airport, and would only trust someone I knew to do it. I told him where to find it and that I would leave his information and the keys with guest services. Fortunately, he wasn't far away and would be able to pick the car up that evening.

"You should be a little nicer, you know," Ember scolded when I snapped my phone shut without saying good-bye.

"What are you talking about?"

"I've never heard anyone use the word 'sir' so much in my life! He's scared of you through the phone!"

"Yeah, well…Jeremy copped an attitude with me once…_Once_. He'll never do it again."

She just laughed.

Soon we were parked in the long-term parking garage. We left our things in the car, knowing they would be delivered soon and began walking toward the exit. Halfway there, I realized this was the last time I would be truly alone with Ember for a while. I stopped.

She walked a few steps further then turned to see what I was doing. Before she could speak, I had her back pressed to the concrete pillar that was behind her and ravishing her lips as if I'd not get to kiss them ever again. When I finally pulled away, she choked out a giggle between pants.

"What…was that all…about?"

I smiled and took her hand, pulling her towards the exit again. "We're going _home_, so that's the last time I can kiss you like that without everyone knowing…Sorry if I freaked you out."

"No, you may do that any time you like!" She laughed and squeezed my hand. "Do they know we're coming?"

I shook my head. "Thought we'd make it a surprise…except for Carlisle. I texted him earlier and he's going to pick us up from the airport."

"Aren't the rest of them in Paris?"

"No," I chuckled. "They'll be back by the time we get home. Something about French women _and_ men being a little too _hands on_." I couldn't help but laugh. "They figured they better go before Rosalie killed some guy for hitting on Emmett."

Ember snickered as we boarded a transport bus.

**Ember POV**

**Jasper took the window seat on the plane and I sat beside him.**

"**First class?" I whispered to him. "You really spare no expense, huh?"**

**He smiled his breathtakingly cute smile. "Being locked in a tin can with a bunch of humans is difficult enough…I prefer to have as much space as possible."**

"**Well I guess that's understandable."**

**I thought about asking him again about his epiphany, but decided against it. He would tell me when he felt ready. Instead, I voiced my concerns over meeting the members of his family I hadn't officially met.**

"**Don't worry about it, they'll love you," he assured. "Well…if Rosalie gives you a hard time just throw her around with your mind a little bit. We'd all enjoy that, I'm sure."**

"**Do you think she will?" I asked.**

**He shrugged. "She wasn't very nice to Bella…That was a whole different set of circumstances though."**

"**Did you…tell Carlisle about us?"**

"**No. It wont take them long to figure it out. I can't exactly hide my feelings."**

**I wasn't sure how to take that. I'd fallen in love with Jasper, though I'd only recently admitted that to myself, and I was fairly confident that he might've felt the same. Now he was talking about not being able to hide his feelings…Did he want to? What exactly did he feel for me? **

**I sat back in my seat and stared down at my hands. Jasper looked out the window, seemingly oblivious to my struggle.**

"**Do you want to?" I asked, barely above a whisper. **

"**Hmm? Do I want to what?" he asked, turning away from the window.**

**I didn't look up from my hands. "Hide your feelings…Do you not want them to know?"**

"**Oh, I'm such an idiot. I didn't mean it like that, I was just making a stupid joke." I didn't look up at him so he sighed and leaned closer to me, whispering in my ear. "Would you like to hear about my epiphany now?"**

**I nodded. "If you want to tell me. You don't have to."**

**He reached over and wrapped his arms around me, then pulled me into his lap. After planting several butterfly kisses on my cheek and neck, he sat back and gazed into my eyes.**

"**Ember, I love you…Last night as I watched you walk toward me from the hotel lobby, my heart melted and you became the very center of my universe. You're everything to me, and I don't care who knows it…I don't even care if you don't love me back."**

**Then I saw it. He looked at me the way he had looked at Alice in the photo, his eyes filled with a depth of love I had never known. **

**I threw my arms around his neck and pressed my lips to his, half laughing and half sobbing. I'd never been so happy.**

"**Easy," he chucked between kisses, "or this flight may get very interesting for everyone on board. Humans are much more sensitive to my, er…gifts." I giggled and sat up, putting a safe distance between our lips. "You're happy, I take it?"**

"**I love you, too," I simply replied.**

**We spent the rest of the flight cuddled together in his seat, undisturbed by the flight attendants. **

**Carlisle was waiting for us when we reached the airport in Oregon. A broad smile stretched across his face when Jasper and I rounded the corner, my arm around his waist and his around my shoulders.**

**After proper introductions, we followed Carlisle out to his car. **

**He never asked about what had happened between us…He didn't have to. Jasper and I sat in the back seat together, as close to one another as possible. Every now and then he would look in the rear-view mirror to ask a question or respond to something one of us had said. I don't think he could help the all-knowing grin he would get before looking away.**

**It wasn't long before we were back to the house I only had blind memories of.**


	13. Chapter 13

Sorry for the long time between updates. Dang real life sometimes interferes with writing.

Emmett: Time for me to liven things up a bit. It is my turn now, right?

Me: Yes, I did promise…So, what do you have in mind to "liven" things up?

Emmett: (evil grin) Just start typing, girl…I'll whisper to ya.

**UH-OH**

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Emmett POV**

"Has anyone called Jazz yet to let him know we're back early?" I asked. I was ready to go hang out with him and Ember after our little French escapade. "Might want to let him know we're coming."

"Why?" Bella asked from her seat on the porch railing. "It's not like they can go anywhere…Or like we'll be interrupting anything. They're probably bored and ready to kill each other."

"I don't know." I used my foot to swing the porch swing I sat on back and forth a little. "There's something between those two."

"You really think so?" Rosalie enquired, taking a seat in my lap. "Jasper can be a bit hard-headed."

"A bit?" Edward snickered. "I agree with Em, though…There is something."

"So, Rose…Are you going to give her a hard time?" Bella smiled at Rosalie. I was so glad they had finally worked past their differences and became close.

Rose shrugged. "Probably not…Especially if she makes Jasper happy." Edward laughed. "You mean after what she did to Jasper _and_ Emmett, you aren't going to tick her off!"

Rose rolled her eyes and I snickered until she glared at me.

"Sorry, babe. He's right though, she is pretty bad."

The sound of Carlisle's tires on the driveway caused us to look in that direction.

"Speak of the devil," Bella murmured.

Rose and I stood to our feet to peer down at Carlisle's car. Sure enough, Jasper and Ember were in the back seat.

Wait…_Back_ seat? There's a perfectly open front seat…And they sure looked awful close.

Edward and I grinned at each other.

Carlisle came up the steps first, smiling so big I thought his face might crack. Ember followed him with Jasper right behind her.

"Uh…Surprise," Jasper muttered in response to my raised brow.

"It seems Ember has no difficulty with close proximity to humans," Carlisle stated through his still-huge smile. He introduced Ember to Rosalie and then to Esme when she came out to join us.

We all took seats on the porch to listen to Jasper and Ember's story about their trip to Jasper's "secret getaway". I felt Rose stiffen under my arm when they told about what that creep was doing to that poor girl. I squeezed her shoulders and kissed her forehead, knowing what kind of memories such a story would bring back to her.

I couldn't quit grinning like a fool at Jasper and Ember. They had taken the porch swing and sat as close to one another as possible without her actually sitting in his lap. His arm was wrapped around her shoulders and he seemed to be putting some effort into keeping her squeezed against his side. He and Alice were always close like that, but they were never showy. I think I might of seen them _really_ kiss one time the entire time I knew them. Their relationship was deeply intimate, yet very private. I wondered if it would be the same with Ember. Or maybe I was jumping to conclusions and they really weren't involved like that…Yeah right. Jasper didn't sit _that _close to _anyone_.

To see him so happy again was wonderful…That didn't mean I wouldn't do some serious teasing.

"Sooo," I drawled. Edward threw me a "behave yourself" glance that I ignored. "You two look pretty cozy…We leave and you just get it on, huh?"

Rosalie elbowed me in the ribs, but Jasper didn't even flinch. Neither did Ember. He just looked into her face and smiled adoringly. A deep feeling of love exploded over all of us, causing Bella, Rose and Esme to sigh happily. I had never felt anything like that from him before, not even with Alice.

I was shocked speechless.

"Well that's a rarity," Edward snickered.

Jasper slowly pulled his gaze from Ember and glanced around. "How have things been here?" he asked, completely disregarding my comment.

"I'm bored," I blurted. I'm pretty sure everyone rolled their eyes. "I need a good challenge, but no one seems up for it."

"What kind of challenge?" Ember asked, leaning forward.

"Ah…A competitive one. I shall teach you well grasshopper," I said.

"That's Master Grasshopper to you, young leaf jumper," she replied with a smirk.

Carlisle chuckled and excused himself to get ready for yet another shift at the hospital. Apparently one of the doctors who'd had the flu was now in the hospital being treated for pneumonia. Esme didn't want any part of our competition, so she went back to immerse herself in the book she had been reading.

"So, what shall it be then?" I asked.

"I'm not in the mood for anything too physical," Rose said.

"Did I wear you out last night, babe?" I teased, earning a smack to the back of my head. "Oh! How about a Wii boxing tournament?"

Edward groaned.

"What's wrong with that?" Ember wondered.

"Emmett always wins," Edward grumbled.

"Oh _really_?" Ember replied. "Guess I'll have to change that." "You dare challenge me?" I growled, standing to my feet.

Ember stood and pressed her finger into my chest. "You bet I do." She looked around. "So? Are you all in?"

"Boys against girls?" Bella asked.

"Good idea," Ember replied.

"Ready to be destroyed?" I asked.

Ember rolled her eyes dramatically and I led the way into the house and down to the game-room in the basement. It only took me a few seconds to have everything ready.

"Hey wait," Rosalie said. "What are the stakes?"

"I feel like doing something different," I replied with a grin. "Whoever loses has to perform a karaoke song at the bar right outside of town."

Jasper chuckled and Edward scoffed. The bar was known for it's country-style food and music.

"Alright," Bella agreed. "But the winning team gets to choose the song."

"Fair enough." I gave Ember an evil grin. "You ready?"

"Ready to beat you?…Abso-friggin-lutely!

I couldn't help but laugh.

We decided to play couples first.

I easily beat Rosalie. Poor thing, she never played video games.

After Edward beat Bella in the third round of their fight, I felt confident we would be victorious.

Ember and Jasper stepped forward and took the controls.

I could not believe what happened next.

Forty seconds into the first round, Jasper's character was out cold.

"You let her win!" I accused.

"I did not!" Jasper defended. He wasn't lying.

Ember turned and winked at me, then looked to Edward. "Next?"

Edward sighed and took the control from Jasper, knowing he was going to lose, because Jasper always beat him.

Sure enough, it took less time for Ember to knock him out. He handed the control to me.

"Good luck," he muttered.

"Pshh, I don't need luck," I scoffed.

We stayed pretty even through all three rounds, trading blows and blocking punches.

"You think you got enough to win the decision, baby?" I snickered, knowing I had racked up more points.

She growled. "Oh, this is so _not _going to the judges!"

With that she landed an awesome uppercut and knocked me out.

My mind barely registered the girls cheering as I stood, mouth agape, staring at the screen. I had five freaking seconds till I would've won. I felt a small hand on my shoulder and turned to see Ember smiling up at me.

"Meet us at the bar at eight, us girls are going shopping," she said with a smug smile.

I still couldn't speak.

"What are we singing?" Jasper asked warily as the girls headed toward the door. "And aren't you going to tell me bye?"

Ember giggled and spun around, but Jasper was already there. He caught her in his arms and pulled her against his chest. Any question any of us might have had concerning their relationship was erased when he kissed her like none of us were even in the room.

Alright, the speechless crap wasn't biding well with me.

Ember finally pulled away a little and smiled against his lips.

"I do believe you are singing I Feel Like a Woman by Shania Twain," she whispered seductively. She then gave him a quick peck on the cheek and practically skipped to the door. She turned to face us just before going out. "You boys have fun putting that together."

I could hear all three girls laughing hysterically as they ran to the garage.

Jasper and Edward both turned to glare at me.

"I hate you," they said simultaneously.

I grinned sheepishly. "I'll download the song."

******

**Ember POV**

We had a blast shopping. We each picked out a short sequin dress in a different color. Rosalie picked red, Bella chose blue and I went for the classic black. Then we found matching thigh-high boots and long, stylish jackets that would cover our outfits until we were ready to reveal.

Rosalie rented a hotel suit for us to get ready in.

"I feel like such a hooker," Bella muttered as we entered the suit.

"We haven't done this in forever!" Rosalie giggled.

We placed all of our bags on the bed and began pulling out our purchases. Rosalie had deemed herself "in charge" of hair and makeup and ordered Bella and I to change so she could get started.

A full hour later, I stood in front of the mirror, stunned at Rosalie's amazing talent.

I barely recognized my own reflection.

Of course, I still felt like a troll standing next to her and Bella.

We made it to the bar with fifteen minutes to spare.

It really didn't look like a bar to me, more like an old country-style restaurant. I felt immensely over-dressed as we stepped out of the car onto the gravel parking lot. The old boards on the porch creaked under our feet.

"Aren't we a little over-dressed?" I whispered to Bella.

She giggled. "Most likely, but Rosalie wouldn't have it any other way."

The inside had the same rugged country restaurant look as the outside and I was beginning to wonder if we had the right place. Rosalie pointed to a table directly in front of the stage and told us to sit while she talked to the DJ.

A waitress appeared as soon as we sat and handed us some sticky menus. Bella ordered a round of drinks, which the waitress quickly scurried away to get.

"Why did you do that?" I asked. "Do we actually have to drink something?"

"No," she laughed. "Just for appearances."

That was a relief. I wasn't much of a drinker before I became a vampire. The thought of even trying to do it after was nauseating.

Rosalie returned to the table, grinning and shaking her head.

"What's going on?" Bella asked.

"The boys are already here," she answered. "They're backstage getting ready."

"Backstage?…There's a _backstage_?" Rosalie giggled at me as I tried to locate the backstage she was talking about. The lights dimmed and the curtain closed on the stage. "How seriously are they taking this?"

"Very." Bella answered. "It's a rule that losers must go all-out."

The DJ's voice came over the speakers, announcing the first act of the night.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen. Our first performance of the night comes to you via a lost bet. Yes indeed, folks, the fellas about to sing for you lost a bet to the lovely ladies sitting front and center." A spotlight shone down on us. Bella and I smiled shyly while Rosalie grinned and waved. The light was then re-directed to the stage. "So, without further ado, please give a warm welcome to the unfortunate bet losers as they sing I Feel Like A Woman."

The audience burst into a roar of laughter as the curtain came up.

Jasper stood center-stage, dressed in cowboy boots, tattered jeans, and a half-buttoned blue flannel shirt, topped off with a strategically tipped cowboy hat and a wickedly gorgeous grin. I'm sure my jaw was laying on the table.

Though I couldn't tear my eyes from Jasper, I did notice that Edward and Emmett stood to either side of him, a little farther back, facing away from the audience. They also wore western garb.

The music began and Jasper looked over his shoulder. "Let's go girls," he said, signaling the other two to spin around and dance to the front of the stage. Jasper was the first to start singing.

"I'm going out tonight--I'm feelin' alright…Gonna let it all hang out. Wanna make some noise--really raise my voice. Yeah, I wanna scream and shout."

Emmett took the next lines, singing with a big goofy grin. "No inhibitions--make no conditions…Get a little outta line. I ain't gonna act politically correct. I only wanna have a good time."

I nearly fell over laughing as Edward sang out the next lines. "The best thing about being a womanIs the prerogative to have a little fun and…"

They sang the chorus together, dancing around to change their positions. "Oh, oh, oh, go totally crazy--forget I'm a lady. Men's shirts--short skirts. Oh, oh, oh, really go wild--yeah, doin' it in style. Oh, oh, oh, get in the action--feel the attraction…Color my hair--do what I dare. Oh, oh, oh, I wanna be free--yeah, to feel the way I feel…" Emmett had taken center-stage and finished the last line of the chorus himself. "Man, I feel like a woman!"

I honestly didn't hear the rest of the song. Jasper had me beyond worked up and he knew it. He winked at me and swayed his hips to the music, making me want to tackle him right there on the stage.

Rosalie placed a hand on my shoulder and whispered in my ear. "Fight back, honey…Time to break out _our _arsenal."

The three of us stood to remove the jackets that had been hiding our dresses. I watched Jasper's eyes widen as I let the jacket slip slowly from my shoulders. He missed his lines, but Edward covered for him. As soon as the song ended he was off the stage. He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the door. I heard Rosalie giggle as she placed a plastic card in my free hand.

"Please don't bring that home," she said as I was pulled away from the table.

I looked down at my hand, which now held the key to our hotel room from earlier.

Soon we reached a pick-up truck parked near the back of the lot. Jasper threw open the passenger door, swept me into his arms and set me down on the seat. He walked as fast as he could without looking abnormal and got in the driver's seat. Once the truck was started he paused, dragging in a ragged breath.

"Ember?" he said, staring strait ahead. "Sometimes I let my emotions over-rule my judgment." He looked at me then, his eyes blackened with desire. "I know what I'm feeling from you now but…are you sure?"

I smiled and slid across the seat to sit next to him.

"I'm sure," I whispered.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

**Jasper POV**

"I'm sure," she whispered, her sweet breath washing over my face.

I bit back a growl and gripped the steering wheel, in an effort to stay in control.

Ember wasn't helping matters. She leaned in and began to plant feather-light kisses along my jaw. The poor steering wheel wouldn't be able to take much more.

"Ember," I groaned. "I hate to say this, but I'm going to need you to scoot over if we are going to get out of this parking lot."

"Oh!" She scooted back to her side, a sheepish grin on her face. "Sorry." I started the truck and put it in gear. "Um…Rosalie said not to, er…bring this home." She laid something on the seat between us and I looked to see a plastic key to a hotel room.

"Absolutely not!" I sputtered as I pulled the truck from the parking lot.

"What?" she asked, confused by my reaction.

"Ember," I chuckled. "I don't think you fully understand what kind of effect my ability can have on others, especially humans, when I give myself over to my emotions…Anyone within range is…Well, lets just say I'm not going to be responsible for something like that."

We sped down the highway, as fast as I could make the truck go. With each passing second, Ember slid closer to me, drawn by the desire I was emanating.

"Where are we going?" she murmured, her lips brushing my ear.

That was my undoing.

**Ember POV**

"Here," Jasper growled, making a sharp left onto an old forest-service road.

It was an old two-track that was over-grown and obviously unused. The truck slid to a stop as soon as it was out of sight from the highway, and before I knew it I was being carried bridal-style through the trees.

I had no idea where we were going and I didn't care. The passion swirling around us was all-consuming, giving me a full understanding of his talent.

I took a moment to study Jasper's face as he ran. He was so focused…determined. I grinned and slowly trailed the tip of my nose from his chin to his ear, nipping at his ear lobe and causing his whole body to shudder. I giggled and traced the outer edge of his ear with my tongue.

He stopped abruptly and moved me so that I faced him, my legs wrapped around his hips. I felt my back press against the rough bark of a tree and only then realized I had lost my dress. I freed Jasper of his shirt as he hungrily devoured my neck and shoulders.

"I want you, Ember," he groaned against my neck.

"I'm yours, Jasper," I panted. "I need you."

All coherent thought was lost at that point. It was as though my body sank into a blue haze as Jasper lowered us to the ground, the last few strings he had holding his emotions in check snapping like brittle twine. There was nothing in the world at that moment but the two of us.

I rode waves of passion until release crashed over me like a tidal wave. I called out Jasper's name, sending him over the edge with an animalistic roar.

We lay on the forest floor for a while, our breathing eventually becoming even. Jasper propped himself up on one elbow, looking down at me lovingly while stroking my hair.

"I love you," he murmured.

"I love you, too, Jasper."

He smiled his heart-stopping smile and bent his head to press his lips to mine. He trailed kisses from my lips to my shoulder, then back up to my ear.

He began to tremble as he whispered, "I can't ever lose you, Ember…It would kill me."

I pushed us up off the ground and sat him down. I sat on his lap, my legs straddling his. It was an intimate position, but I needed to get my point across. I held his face in my hands and looked into his now golden eyes.

"I'm not going anywhere," I said sternly. "And I don't want you constantly fretting over what might or might not happen, understand?"

"I'll try not to," he replied in a whisper.

I brushed his hair from his eyes and kissed his forehead. "Just be with me…and be happy…That's all I want."

He didn't answer, just wrapped his arms around me and squeezed me tight against him, causing me to moan when our lips met. He growled in response and we were once again lost in a haze of lust and passion.

**Jasper POV**

The sky was beginning to lighten by the time we made it back to my truck. We would've been out much sooner, but we decided to hunt, and for me to watch Ember hunt wearing my button-less tattered flannel over her lacey lingerie was a mistake…She barely finished off one mountain lion when I literally attacked her myself.

I opened her door for her and pinched her butt as she climbed in.

"Jasper!" she giggled, swatting at my hand.

"Sorry," I replied, grinning widely.

Rather than walk around to my side, I chose to climb over Ember, using my body to crush her into the seat as I did.

"JAS-PER!" she growled, pushing me to the drivers side. "What is _wrong_ with you?"

I started the truck and turned to look at her, but couldn't speak. My actions had caused the shirt she was wearing to be pulled open on one side. I slowly raked my eyes over her body, a low growl building in my chest.

A look of confusion flashed across her face before she looked down.

"Oh no!" She quickly pulled the shirt closed and pointed at me. "We aren't starting that again! Drive."

"Yes Ma'am." I put the truck in drive and as it began to move I reached over and pulled Ember to my side, keeping my arm around her shoulder. She leaned her head against my shoulder and sighed contentedly, then placed her hand on my thigh and squeezed gently. "Easy," I murmured, kissing the top of her head. "I promise I'll pull over again."

She chuckled and moved her hand closer to my knee. "Is that better?"

"No," I pouted, letting go of the steering wheel and sliding her hand back to where it was. "I'll deal with it."

I seriously needed to get my emotions in check or I would drive my family insane.

Soon we arrived home. Emmett sat on the porch steps, grinning like a devil. Unfortunately I had my own Cheshire cat smile that wouldn't be easily wiped away.

"Ugh…Great," Ember muttered when she saw Emmett waiting for us. "Will you bring me some clothes? I'm not getting out of the truck like this." She gestured to her barely-covered body.

"I don't see the problem," I said, looking her over.

"Don't make me hurt you."

I chuckled and climbed out of the truck. "Want anything in particular, darlin'?"

" No…just as long as it's within reason." She gave me a look that said I better not bring her something skimpy.

As I passed Emmett on the steps, it dawned on me that he still hadn't moved, so I stopped and looked down at him. Was he really going to behave himself?…No. He couldn't move.

"Tell your girlfriend to quit," he whined through his teeth.

I just laughed and patted his shoulder before continuing into the house.

Bella was waiting just inside the door with a shirt for me and an outfit for Ember. She gasped at my appearance, having never seen me without a shirt. I gave her a sheepish grin and eyed the clothing.

"Oh! Sorry…Edward told me what you were coming in for. She bought these yesterday," she said, holding them out for me.

"Thank you, Bella."

I took the clothes and shot back out to the truck.

"Here you go," I said, laying them down next to Ember. "You bought me a shirt?"

She nodded. "I couldn't help myself."

I had to laugh…Ember bought me a black v-neck tee that said "My girlfriend is a vampire" in white lettering, except for the word "vampire" which was in bleeding red letters.

"Where did you get this?" I asked, pulling the shirt over my head.

"Some store that sells a bunch of movie stuff…I guess it has something to do with a vampire movie everyone is crazy over."

I shook my head and looked down at my scarred arms. "I don't usually wear short-sleeves," I muttered.

"But you should," she said, sliding across the seat to sit in front of me. "You look good in them."

She turned to face me and I stood between her knees with my hands on her waist. "You may be just a bit partial, darlin'."

"Not at all," she said, her fingers brushing lightly up my arms and resting on my chest. "You shouldn't be ashamed of your scars…they are a part of who you are."

"They are a mark of what I was…" I lowered my gaze, staring at the pattern on her skirt.

She lifted my chin with her fingers and smiled when our eyes met. "They are part of what made you the man you are today…And I'm in love with that man."

"I don't deserve you," I whispered, resting my forehead against hers.

"I think you've got that backwards."

I shook my head slightly in disagreement before pressing my lips to hers.

"Ah-hem!" Emmett sounded annoyed.

I pulled back from Ember a little and smiled. "Are you still holding him there?"

She nodded. "Yep. And I will let him go _if_ he promises to keep his comments to himself," she said, throwing Emmett a pointed look over my shoulder.

"I promise," Emmett muttered, defeated.

"Then I suppose that was sufficient punishment…You may go now," she said, releasing Emmett from her hold.

"You're no fun," Emmett pouted before going into the house.

I pulled Ember from the truck and hugged her tightly before setting her on her feet.

"You ready to go inside?" she asked.

"Well, if we don't it's very likely that I'll drag you off into the woods again," I replied, a mischievous grin forming on my lips.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

**Edward POV**

Jasper's thoughts assaulted me about the same time his emotional state did, about two full seconds before he followed Ember through the front door.

I turned on the piano bench to gawk at him. I had never heard such things pass through his mind. He didn't see me, focused as he was on Ember's rear-end. I focused all my attention on him and hit him with as much disgust as I could muster. He blinked and shook his head, his eyes finally finding mine.

"Oh…Sorry," he muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I think I'm going to go out for a hunt." A wicked grin spread across his face as Ember turned to face him. "I uh…didn't really get a chance to earlier."

The reason behind his missed hunting opportunity began to flash through his mind as he pulled Ember into his arms and kissed her.

"Jasper!" I growled, squeezing my eyes shut and pressing my palms to my temples.

Like that would help.

"Sorry," he said with a giggle before disappearing out the door.

Giggling now?

"What have you done to him?" I asked Ember incredulously.

She laughed and sat next to me on the piano bench.

"I have _no_ idea," she answered honestly.

"Rocked his world apparently," Emmett said, plopping down in a chair across the room. Ember gave him a look that told him not to get carried away. He raised his hands defensively. "Just sayin'."

I chuckled and went back to playing. Emmett would never learn.

"Where is Bella and Rosalie?" Ember asked quietly.

"Esme has got them interested in her garden out back," I answered, not missing a note. "There are no plants this time of year, but I think they're doing some stone-work. You can join them if you like."Ember shrugged. "Not really my type of thing…Am I bothering you?"

"No, of course not…That's not what I meant." I gave her a smile to let her know I was being sincere.

"That's really beautiful," she said, looking down at my fingers moving along the keys. "Does it have a name?"

"No, not really…I composed this for Alice." I glanced at her from the corner of my eye to gauge her reaction.

"You miss her."

It wasn't a question.

I nodded. "I haven't played this in some time. She and I had the closest relationship outside of our mates. We were truly like brother and sister…I miss her terribly. I suppose seeing you and Jasper together has brought back a lot of memories."Ember dropped her eyes to her own hands folded in her lap. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

I stopped playing and turned to face her. "No, Ember…It's not a bad thing. I do miss Alice…We all do. But to finally see Jasper so happy and carefree again…We could never thank you enough. Without you he'd still be locked away in his room…Losing Alice was hard, but seeing that loss every day in his eyes…That was too much." She finally looked up at me, a small smile pulling at the corner of her mouth. "I couldn't be happier that you two found one another…Even though I may kill him if he doesn't learn to control that lust of his…and the thoughts that go along with it."

Ember giggled and if it were possible, she would've blushed.

"Well," Emmett said, suddenly appearing behind Ember and clamping his giant hands over her shoulders. "If you two are finished mushing it up, this girl owes me a boxing rematch."

"Oh, so you like getting knocked out by a girl, huh?" Ember retorted, lifting herself from the bench.

"Maybe I do baby!"

I just shook my head and went back to playing as they scrambled to the game room.

**Ember POV**

"One more?" Emmett pleaded, following me up the stairs and into the living room.

"No, Emmett. I'm done beating you. We've played every game you own." I walked to the window and stared out at the pouring rain. "You may just have to admit that I'm better than you."

"That will never happen, little sister," he said, pulling a rubber band from a newspaper and shooting it at me.

It hit dead center of my right butt cheek. I let my jaw drop open and turned toward him, but his expression had me curled over in laughter instantly. He looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"What?"

"You're so…scared of me," I said between laughs.

"I'm not scared of you!" he argued. "You don't fight fair."

"Fair? What would fair be? I don't think there's any such thing in the vampire world."

Emmett sighed and came to stand next to me at the window. "I guess you're right," he said, bumping me with his shoulder. "He'll be back soon, ya know."

"It's been a little over an hour…How long does it take?"

I looked down at my watch. An hour and eighteen minutes to be exact.

Emmett chuckled. "He's probably just trying to cool down a bit…You do have him all worked up lately."

I couldn't help but grin.

"Hope he gets that under control soon," Rosalie said as she entered the room. "I could feel that from where I was outside…Not cool."

Emmett chuckled and I offered Rosalie an apologetic grin.

"What's up babe?" Emmett asked.

"We need to hijack Jasper's truck and follow Esme into town…And you have to come with us." Emmett opened his mouth to argue, but Rosalie cut him off. "No use in arguing. We're getting some heavy stone sculptures and things of that sort for the garden and we need your muscles…After all, it would look funny for us girls to be throwing stuff like that around."

"Yeah I guess that's true," Emmett relented.

"You can come along if you'd like, Ember," Rosalie offered.

"Thanks, but I think I'm going to wait for Jasper."

We said goodbye and I was left alone, staring out the window.

I needed to do something ~anything ~to keep myself from going crazy, so I decided to find Jasper's room. It wasn't a difficult task, using my heightened sense of smell.

I inhaled deeply as I stepped inside. The room was saturated with his scent, due to the many hours he spent…sitting at the window? The only item in the room not covered by a layer of dust was a metal chair in front of the plate-glass window. In my mind's eye I could see him sitting there…Motionless, empty. I could see in his eyes the loss Edward spoke of.

I choked back a sob and turned away, exiting the room. I couldn't stand seeing him that way, even if it was imagined.

**Jasper POV**

Two deer and one injured bear later I found myself lying on my back, grinning like a fool into the rain that was pouring from the sky.

_I seriously need to get a grip_.

But I couldn't. I was so happy. I couldn't believe I actually giggled before running from the house.

_Giggled_? Jasper Whitlock does _not_ giggle…_What on earth has Ember done to me_?

I sighed and chuckled, deciding I really didn't care & hoped she would continue to do whatever it was she was doing. In all my many years I'd never felt so light-hearted.

It felt good.

I closed my eyes and pictured her smiling at me. My mind quickly traveled to the night before, replaying every sigh, every moan, every touch…the way she called my name. A groan escaped my lips as I recalled the feeling of her fingers clawing at the marble skin of my back.

_Gah. What am I _doing_ to myself_?

I brought my arm from behind my head to check the time.

Almost six o'clock, which meant I had been out there nearly two hours.

As I stood to my feet, a scent hit my nostrils causing them to burn and the hair on my neck to stand on end.

Wolf…And not of the normal sort.

But something was…off. This wasn't the Quileute scent I was familiar with. It was faint and was not accompanied by the pounding heartbeat I would certainly hear if a wolf were in fact in the vicinity, so I figured the breeze must've carried the scent in. It concerned me, and I knew a call would have to be made to LaPush as soon as possible.

I scanned the forest one last time. It was difficult for me to turn my back to a potential threat, no matter how minimal it seemed.

Just as I began to turn, something hit me hard from the side, taking me off my feet.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

**Jasper POV**

Whoever hit me may have taken me by surprise, but stood no chance of overpowering me. In an instant I had my assailant pinned to the ground by the throat with my left hand, my right arm was drawn back and my hand fisted, ready to deliver a blow.

"Jasper!" Ember's voice squeaked.

Ember?…Oh!

I finally focused on a pair of terrified blue eyes staring up at me.

"Ember!" I stood, pulling her with me. "Are you okay?" I asked, looking her over before pulling her into an embrace. "I'm _so_ sorry."

She giggled. "I'm fine, Jasper…I'm not breakable. I didn't mean to freak you out so bad…I got worried and came looking~ Ugh…what is that _smell_?"

"Wolf," I answered, glancing back into the forest.

"Oh. Did you see Bella's friend?…What was his name?""No, it's not Jacob Black…or any of the other Quileute pack. The scent is wrong. We need to get home and make a call to LaPush."

"Ok."

Ember turned to lead the way home, but I grabbed her arm and pulled her back hard against my chest.

"One more thing, darlin'…If you ever scare me like that again, I'll~"

"You'll what?" she interrupted. I could feel her using her ability slightly. Only my feet were held to the ground. She was getting even better at her control. "You can't do anything to me that I don't allow, Whitlock."

My eyebrows shot up. "Oh, is that right?"

I tightened my grip on her and soon had her panting in ecstasy.

"Jasper," she moaned, the slight hold she had on me slipping away.

I released her and turned on my heel. "C'mon…we need to get back."

"Oh. No. You. Did. Not."

"Oh yes…I did."

With a growl of frustration, Ember followed after me. I had a feeling I was going to pay for that.

We entered the house through the garage. I stopped short when I noticed my truck missing.

"Where's my truck?" I asked.

"Emmett took it."

"Took it where?"

"To pick up some things for the garden out back."

I cringed. "Why didn't he just take that monstrosity Jeep of his?"

"I don't know…Rosalie said they needed it to haul stuff."

"Oh…Rosalie, huh?"

"Yeah," Ember answered slowly, not liking the evil glint in my eye. "Jasper? What are you going to~"

I had her pressed against Rosalie's car before she could say anything else. Rosalie and Emmett both knew better than anyone else how I felt about my truck being used without permission…I was going to make them wish they'd left it alone. I reached down and opened the rear passenger door.

"No!" Ember said, pulling back from me a bit. "Not Rosalie's car."

"What? Why not?"

"Because…her and I are getting along. I'd like to keep it that way, so…not _her_ car."

Ember's gaze shifted to the right and I followed it.

Emmett's jeep.

When I brought my eyes back to her she was grinning mischievously. It was dead sexy.

"You are a naughty girl," I growled, lifting her so she could wrap her legs around my waist.

I carried her to the Jeep, never taking my lips from hers, threw open the back door and climbed in, sitting so that Ember straddled my lap.

Revenge was sweet.

Soon Ember had my shirt pulled off and tossed to the garage floor, but every effort I'd made to unbutton her blouse was thwarted by her swatting away my hands. She ran her fingernails down my chest, causing me to growl. She undid my belt torturously slow then paused half way through unbuttoning my jeans.

"Boxers or briefs?" she whispered seductively.

I couldn't help the wicked grin that spread across my face. "Neither."

She growled and leaned forward, trailing her tongue from my collarbone to my ear.

"That's very naughty, Jasper," she whispered, her breath on my ear causing me to shudder.

She bit my earlobe and I groaned, grasping her hips roughly before running my hands along her sides, under her shirt.

Her shirt…That thing _had_ to go.

I tried to pull up on it, but she grabbed my wrists and ~with the help of her ability~ yanked them above my head.

"Ah ah ah," she murmured. "Looks like you need some help making your hands behave."

Keeping one hand on my wrists, she reached down and grabbed my belt. My breath hitched and she grinned at me before giving the belt a tug and freeing it from around my hips.

$%^&*!

In an instant she had used the belt to bind my wrists and attached the buckle to something behind me. Of course, her ability was the only thing really holding me there, but I couldn't have cared less.

She continued to torture me, kissing and nibbling on my chest, shoulders and neck, all the while dodging my lips.

"Ember," I groaned. "Please…"

I just couldn't take much more.

She sat up straight and held a finger against my lips.

"Shhhh…"

I managed to snake my tongue out and lick her finger as she pulled it away, hoping to get her at least half as hot and bothered as I was…I failed.

_Shut. Up._

I stared in utter disbelief as she put her finger in her mouth, gently sucking before dragging it out through her teeth. I struggled against her hold, but it only got stronger.

She shook her head. "Behave Jasper."

"Ugh," I grunted, forcing myself to be still.

She was an evil vixen, torturing me within a hair's breadth of my sanity.

And I was loving every moment.

_Sweet mother of_…

She began unbuttoning her shirt, taking her excruciatingly sweet time.

I thought I was going to explode. Just as she undid the last button, she gasped.

"Oh!…I just remembered something," she said, sliding off my lap and out of the jeep. "I'll be back." She began to walk away and I growled, stopping her in her tracks. Looking over her shoulder she said, "Don't move hun." Then she allowed her shirt to fall to the floor.

I could only struggle in vain as she giggled and disappeared into the house.

**Ember POV**

Perfect.

_Now all I have to do is hold him there for a few more minutes_.

I padded up the stairs into Bella's room and found the bags from our shopping trip. I grabbed out a new t-shirt and pulled it over my head.

"Ember?" Jasper called.

"Yeah, sugar?"

"What did you remember, darlin'?"

No amount of sweet talking was going to save him.

_I remembered that revenge _is_ sweet_. I added a dark chuckle to my thought, making sure he got the message.

I heard him gasp and choked down a giggle.

_No_, he thought. "Ember! This is _so_ not the same as what I did to you!"

"Ah but you knew you would pay for it…And pay you shall."

"Ember!…Seriously, this is _not _funny! Let me~"

"Oh listen!" I chirped, cutting him off. "I hear your truck!"

"Please baby," he begged, causing my resolve to falter a bit.

I steeled myself and shook my head. "Not a chance."

Jasper cursed, and I almost laughed.

Rosalie came in the front door about the time I heard the garage door opening.

"What are you grinning about?" she asked, taking in my expression.

**Emmett POV**

I let Rose out near the front door and pulled Jasper's truck into the garage. He hated anyone using it without his OK, but I just knew all that stone crap wasn't going in my jeep…He'd get over it.

"Ugh," I muttered when I stepped out of the truck. Jasper and Ember's scents were strong in the garage. Too strong. "Freaky vampires," I chuckled.

Just as I neared the door to the house, something caught my attention.

The door to my jeep was open…And Jasper and Ember's shirts were laying on the ground…

_No. So help me, if they_…

I peered around the door, my temper beginning to flare.

**Jasper POV**

_I. Can. Not. Believe. This_.

There I sat in Emmett's precious Jeep, no shirt, my jeans half unzipped and my arms tied behind my head, not to mention the aching need that still hadn't been met.

I held my breath as Emmett passed by, hoping he wouldn't notice.

No such luck.

His anger began to build as he moved toward the open door.

_He's going to kill me_…_and she's going to _let_ him_!

Emmett's anger melted as soon as his eyes met mine. His bellowing laughter filled the garage as I released the breath I was holding and shook my head.

_Punishment served…Hope you learned your lesson, cowboy_.

Ember's voice rang clear in my head over the sound of Emmett's rolling laughter and I felt her hold over me lift.

I sighed and got my hands free, then stood and buttoned and zipped my jeans.

Emmett was still laughing.

"You may want to take Rose and anyone else in the house and go out for the evening," I said calmly. "Emotions are about to get real thick around here."

That sobered Emmett up. He jumped to his feet and scrambled into the house.

I stood still for a moment, gathering my composure, then stalked slowly into the house.

Emmett, Rosalie, Bella and Edward were on their way out, snickering as they passed by me. Ember was at the end of the line, thinking she would quietly sneak out with the others.

Not a chance.

I snagged her arm and pulled her backwards.

"I…Wait!" she sputtered. I heard a car pull out of the driveway and smiled. "Why did they have to go?"

By that time I had pulled her to my bedroom door. I pushed it open and pulled her inside, slamming it shut and pushing her towards the bed.

"Oh darlin'…You don't want them here."

"Why not?" she squeaked as her knees hit the edge of the mattress.

I chuckled and pushed her down, then slowly climbed up her body, pinning her wrists to the bed with one hand and fisting the other in her hair. I pulled her head to the side and licked her throat before moving my lips to her ear.

"Because...you don't want them to hear you scream," I purred. "And I _promise_ you will."


	17. Chapter 17

Author's note: Just a little warning: If you are a big-time fan of the wolves, this story may get rough for you. And while I'm here, I want to apologize for the much to long delay in uploading chapters. I have been focusing on getting them up on twilighted. The story is done through CH 26 and has 1 or 2 more to go. Hope you are enjoying, let me know!

~Mary

Chapter 17

**Jasper POV**

I couldn't believe I had just said that to her.

I sat up slowly, dragging my fingers from her wrists to her shoulder, until I was sitting almost upright on her hips. She whimpered under the full force of my ability…I had never unleashed it fully on anyone before, and it was beginning to get difficult to focus.

"J…Jasper," she panted.

"Yes darlin'?" I purred, tracing her soft lips with my fingertips.

_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK_

"You have got to be kidding me," I growled. I had no idea who was at the front door, I just knew it had better be extremely important. "To be continued," I said to Ember with a sly grin.

"You promise?" she breathed, making me consider ignoring the incessant banging on the front door. She giggled. "Go."

With a sigh I stood, pulling her up with me.

I could feel panic and fear building the closer I got to the front door. Ember was upstairs, fixing her hair and changing her clothes.

I drew in a deep breath and immediately recognized a very familiar, very unpleasant scent.

Quileute.

I opened the door, shocked at what I found.

Jacob Black stood there, holding Paul~ who was badly injured ~in his arms, and Seth stood slightly behind him. I could see that Jacob and Seth had been injured as well, though their wounds were healing quickly.

Jacob was shaking, nearly overcome with exhaustion, so I took Paul from him and headed into the living room. I heard Ember gasp just as I laid the boy on the couch.

"Here," I said, tossing her my phone. "Call Carlisle. Tell him we have a badly injured wolf here."

She nodded and disappeared back up the stairs as she dialed.

"Jacob, what happened?" I asked, covering Paul with a blanket.

No answer.

I turned to see Jacob standing across the room. He was shaking violently and tears streamed down his cheeks. Seth still stood outside, in much the same state.

"He's on his way," Ember said.

She came in the room with two blankets. She handed me one and nodded toward Jacob, then headed toward Seth with the other.

"Be careful Ember," I warned.

"I will."

I cautiously approached Jacob and wrapped the blanket around his shoulders, then eased him back onto the loveseat.

Seth collapsed into Ember's arms as she wrapped the blanket around him. I started toward her but she shook her head.

"I've got him," she said, picking him up.

Had the situation not been so dire, I would've laughed. Seth had grown a good bit since I last saw him and Ember was ridiculously small compared to him.

She carried him in and gently set him next to Jacob.

Can you read their minds? I asked.

She shook her head. "It's just an incoherent mess…is it possible for them to go into shock?"

I shrugged. I honestly had no idea and had never been more grateful to hear Carlisle's car coming up the driveway.

I knelt down in front of Jacob and calmed him.

"Jacob?" He looked at me, the shaking subsiding a bit. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"Th..They came out of…nowhere," he sputtered, fresh tears falling down his cheeks.

"They?…Vampires?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Wolves…They were bigger than us and we…we were out…numbered." I could do nothing but stare at him. "They…they're all gone," he sobbed.

"The rest of the pack?" I asked softly.

"No…the entire reservation."

I heard Ember gasp at Jacob's revelation. I had to reign in my anger before I continued.

Carlisle had come in and was tending to Paul.

"Jacob…When did this happen?"

"Yesterday…late in the afternoon…We haven't been running patrols as much," he answered, then drew in a shaky breath. "The three of us were at the beach with a few others when the…screaming started. By the time we got there…" He shook his head. Edward and the others had returned at that point. I figured Carlisle or Ember must've called them. "I can't…I don't want to feel numb right now, Jasper.""I know. I'm sorry Jacob, but I'm afraid if I stop, the two of you will go into shock…I'll ease up a little."

Bella laid a hand on Jacob's shoulder and squeezed gently. "I'm so sorry, Jake."

He didn't respond, just wrapped an arm around Bella's waist and pulled her into his lap. He cried against her shoulder while she stroked his hair.

I sighed and stood to my feet, turning my attention to Carlisle.

"How is he?" I asked, nodding toward Paul.

Carlisle shook his head. "Not good. So many of his bones have healed improperly…I'll have to re-break and set them. We should move him upstairs."

"I'll get him," Edward said. He lifted Paul from the couch and followed Carlisle up the stairs.

"They've been near here…the wolves Jacob is talking about," I said.

"What?" Emmett asked. "How do you know?" "I caught the scent in the woods earlier…I had planned to have Carlisle call Sam. I knew it wasn't Quileute by the scent."

I could feel Seth begin to panic, so I moved to stand beside him, placing my palm on his back and nearly putting him to sleep.

"Well then!" Emmett said, almost excitedly. "I say we go hunt down these sons of~"

"No." I cut him off. "We have no idea what we're dealing with and from what I've seen here, it may be more than we can handle." Emmett scoffed but I ignored him. "Jacob, do you have any idea how many there were?"

"At least fifteen…We didn't even take down one of them…I had to drag Paul until it was safe to phase so I could carry him…"

"Jasper's right," Rosalie stated. "We don't have enough here to go after them…Is it even safe to be here if they were that close?"

I could hear the snapping sounds upstairs as Edward helped Carlisle reset Paul's bones.

"I'd rather play it safe," I sighed. "Would anyone be opposed to moving to the Rockies temporarily?…At least until we can figure out what's going on?"

No one seemed to think it was a bad idea. I turned to speak to Ember, but she wasn't there.

"She went upstairs," Emmett said, seeing my confused expression.

How did I miss her leaving?

I went up to our room to find Ember curled up in the center of our bed on her side, with her back to me.

She was crying.

I walked around the bed and climbed up next to her, then pulled her into my arms and kissed her forehead.

"What's wrong?" I whispered.

"What kind of…monsters…could do…something like that?" she sobbed. I squeezed her tighter. "I saw it, Jasper…in his mind."

"Show me.""What?…No."

I scooted back a little so I could look at her. "Ember, I need to see what we're dealing with…Please?"

She sighed and nodded.

A gasp escaped my lips as the scene unfolded in my mind. I have been witness to and even taken part in some acts of cruelty in my time, but nothing like that. It was a barbaric slaughter…and the wolves were slightly larger like Jacob had said…and completely feral. They showed no hesitation in killing women and children.

The vision faded and Ember's sobs brought me back to reality. I pulled her to my chest and stroked her hair.

"I'm so sorry you had to see that, darlin'…Just try and put it out of your mind," I murmured.

"How?" she choked.

"Look into my mind," I instructed, then proceeded to replay all the good things that had happened over the last few days. She giggled as I remembered the incident with Emmett's jeep. "I still owe you for that."

"And I'm anxiously awaiting your revenge," she purred.

I chucked and pressed my lips to hers, rolling her to her back as I deepened the kiss. Her leg wrapped over my hip and thigh, making me growl as I pulled my lips from hers.

"I think we better start packing or~"

"Don't we have a few minutes?" she asked, her voice trembling. "I…I need to be…I need to feel you close…Please, Jasper?"

She never ceased to amaze me…to cause my silent heart to flutter. How could an angel like her need me? And how could I ever deny her?

"I've got all the time in the world for you," I murmured.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

**Ember POV**

Being a vampire, I understand the whole super-speed thing, I really do…But I was still taken aback by the sheer amount of work that had been done since I'd gone up stairs.

Sure, Jasper and I had taken our sweet, sweet time together ~but still. When we finally came downstairs, there were sheets thrown over all the furniture, Jacob and his two friends were all situated in vehicles and it seemed everyone was waiting on us.

That was kind of embarrassing.

Jasper took the bags we had packed and shot out to the garage, returning after a few seconds.

"Ember, Rosalie is driving her car alone, you can ride with her if you'd like," he said.

"What about you?" I asked.

"I've got a few more things to do here, and I'm taking the Ducati instead of my truck.""The what?"He chuckled. "My motorcycle." He turned his attention to the others. "You can all go ahead…You know I'll catch up."

"So does your bike not hold two?" I pressed. I couldn't stand the thought of leaving without him, even it was only temporary. "Unless you wanted to ride alone…That would be okay," I lied.

"No! Of course I want you to ride with me! I just…Well…Alice always hated it. Wind and hair don't mix well I guess."

I shook my head. "I'll live. I want to go with you."

He smiled and pulled me against his side.

"We'll see you there then," Carlisle said, grasping Jasper's shoulder with one hand. "Be safe…And don't hang out here too long."

Jasper nodded and the family was gone.

"What is it you need to do?" I asked.

"Setting alarms and light timers. Then I need to get online for a few minutes and get some of our bank account information switched to the new address…It will only be a few minutes. Oh, then I've got to dig out Alice's riding gear."

"Riding gear? Really?"

"Oh yeah," he answered with a mischievous grin. "Alice never wore it though."

With that he disappeared, off to tend to his tasks.

I sighed and sat on the floor.

"Need me to do anything?" I called.

"Nope," he called back from somewhere downstairs.

A full forty minutes later he came back into the living room, carrying something black.

"All done?" I asked, standing. He nodded and tossed me what he was holding. The bundle fell apart in the air and landed at my feet…All accept for the black leather bra I caught in my hand. At my feet were matching booty shorts and thigh-high boots. "You're kidding, right?" This was the tags-still-attached 'riding gear' Alice had refused to wear.

No wonder.

"Oh come on," Jasper pleaded.

I shook my head and gathered the items. "Though I don't doubt your mad vampire motorcycle driving skills…I do think it would be hard for you to focus with me wearing something like _this_. So…maybe some other time."

He grinned and took the scraps of leather (I wouldn't call them clothes) from me and stuck them in a backpack. "I can live with that…You ready to go?""Yep."

He put the backpack on me and took my hand and pulled me out to his motorcycle. I used to be scared to death of those things, but I just couldn't wait to ride with Jasper. I had a feeling he didn't take it slow.

Soon we neared the end of the Cullen's gravel driveway.

Jasper looked at me over his shoulder and smiled wickedly.

"Hold on tight, darlin'."

As soon as both tires hit the pavement, he gunned it, sending us flying down the twisting highway like a bullet.

I loved it…almost as much as running.

_Jasper_?

_Yeah_?

_What happens next_? I assumed there was a plan, even though we had barely discussed anything.

_Well I'm sure by now Carlisle has already called Aro. Once we get there someone will call our friends in Denali…and I know a few people as well. I would like to get as many of our kind together as quickly as possible. I just…have a bad feeling_.

_Me too_. I squeezed him a little tighter and rested my cheek against his back. A river ran alongside of the highway and I watched as it flew by. _What do you think will happen with the reservation? It has to be all over the news by now_.

_Not necessarily. I would assume the wolves left it pretty obvious that the slaughter was not done by humans…I seriously doubt they covered their tracks. The government will step in and clean up, offer some lame explanation for why the people just aren't there anymore, like relocation or some nonsense. The locals will know it's false, but it won't go any further_.

I gasped. _Bella's father! Didn't he live near the reservation_?

Jasper shook his head. _No. He moved away from Forks after Jacob's father died, two years after Bella's faked death. He lives in Montana now…Bella keeps tabs on him_.

I relaxed. At least Bella didn't have to worry about him.

Soon the highway left the river and was once again surrounded by dense forest. I began to feel uncomfortable…an unshakable sinking feeling settling over me.

_What's wrong Ember_?

_I…don't know. Maybe it's just the woods…I just feel_~

I wasn't able to finish my sentence.

We were hit from the side, by something much larger than the both of us. Jasper and I landed on our feet about twenty feet apart, but we couldn't move, already surrounded by a pack of snarling wolves.

"Jasper," I whimpered.

He started toward me but a wolf moved between us.

"Please just let her go," Jasper begged.

"I'm afraid we can't do that." I spun to see the source of the voice behind me.

A blonde-haired, red-eyed vampire stood a few feet behind me, a smug grin on his face.

I heard Jasper cry out and turned to see him laying on the ground at the feet of another vampire. He appeared to be unconscious.

"Jasper? Jasper!"

I tried to run to him but was stopped by the blonde vampire grabbing my arm.

That didn't set too well with me.

I glared at him, then used my ability to push him back. I was going to crush him.

"If you kill me…they will kill you…they're under my control," he said, glancing around at the wolves. "And they wont stop with you and your friend. You want to unleash them on the unsuspecting public? Go ahead and kill me."

"He's telling the truth," said the vampire near Jasper.

I had no choice but to believe them. If he was responsible for these creatures, then it made sense that they would lose all control without his influence.

I relinquished my hold on him and turned my attention to Jasper.

Why hadn't he gotten up?

"No harm will come to him," the blonde said. He then nodded to the other vampire who scooped Jasper into his arms then disappeared into the forest. A wolf crouched beside me. "Get on," the blonde commanded.

I obeyed…What choice did I have?

It took nearly an hour and a half of running to reach our destination. The wolf came to a stop and I slid off it's back and gawked at the mansion before me. It was literally in the middle of nowhere, with no roads nearby or even a driveway that I could see.

The blonde vampire led me to a windowless room and pushed me inside.

"I suggest you behave," he said. "You will be guarded at all times and killed if you try to escape."

He shut the door and I heard him walk away, leaving two wolves at the door.

I growled in frustration.

"Sucks, doesn't it?"

I jumped, startled at the new voice. I turned to see a man seated in a chair across the room. He had short, sandy-brown, curly hair and his eyes were a brilliant green, but he was definitely a vampire.

"Who are you?" I asked warily.

"The name's Daniel. Have a seat." He gestured to a chair close to his and I walked to it slowly, finally sitting with a sigh.

"I'm Ember. Who is the blonde freak and what on earth are we doing here?"

He chucked. "The blonde is Caius~""Caius?" I interrupted. "You mean from the Volturi?"

He nodded. "Well, he _was_ anyhow…Apparently there were some conflicts and differing opinions. He was asked to leave. Aro believes it to have ended peaceably, but nothing could be farther from the truth."

"So he's…staging a rebellion? Jasper will never go along with it."

"Jasper?"

"My boyfriend." I didn't like the word 'mate'. It sounded so caveman-ish. "We were together when they ambushed us."

"He won't have a choice. Caius has a vampire by the name of Michael that can erase your memories up to whatever point in time he chooses, then replace them with new ones. It doesn't work on us."He said "us" signifying that we were indeed alike.

"Does Michael knock them out?" I asked in almost a whisper.

Daniel nodded. "I'm sorry, but when Jasper comes around he will believe whatever lies Caius has had put in his head…He most likely won't remember you."

I buried my face in my hands and cried. I felt an arm over my shoulder and Daniel squeezed lightly.

"Hey now, don't cry…I'll let you in on a secret." _They don't know we can communicate like this_.

I sat up, nearly knocking him over. _They don't_?

He shook his head. _And I've worked hard to keep it that way. I've been here eight weeks and so far found a few vampires who were suspicious of Caius. I've been talking to them secretly and told them about Michael's ability. They don't want to follow along with Caius, but right now we just don't have the numbers to do anything about it_.

_How many is a few_?

_Four. I'm careful not to approach anyone who isn't already having doubts…I can't have the wrong people finding out…There are some here following Caius willingly_.

I sighed. Four wasn't many at all. _So do you know what his plans are_?

_This is going to sound cliché and cheesy but…world domination. _I raised an eyebrow at him and he shook his head_. I know, I know…but there's no other way to put it. He wants to rid the world of any vampires he considers weak, seriously diminish the human population and enslave those that are left. The guy is off his rocker_. _Those monsters of his…used to be human. He got his hands on werewolf blood somehow and started testing on humans. From what I gathered out of his head, it took a lot of failures before he got the mutation right…It still kills most humans, but the ones it doesn't kill are forever lost. They don't transform back to human and they are completely under his control_.

_Nice_. "Why do you think they put us together?"

He shrugged. "They probably got tired of me complaining about being bored."

"So, how long have you been a vampire?"

"About ten years. I was twenty when I was changed. You?"

"Oh, about a month or two. I'm nineteen."

Two weeks passed. Daniel and I continued to be kept in the same room, permitted to hunt on occasion with the wolves. Twice we were called out separately to give Caius a demonstration of our abilities. Our mind-reading and communicating stayed a secret and we found another vampire to take our side.

I still hadn't seen Jasper and neither had Daniel.

I was beginning to worry.

Then late one evening the door to our room opened. When no one came inside, I walked over and cautiously peered out to find our two wolf guards sound asleep.

"I want to know why Caius is doing his dead-level best to keep me away from you two."

My head snapped in the direction of the voice I knew almost better than my own.

Jasper.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

**Ember POV**

Jasper!

Without thinking, I launched myself at him, throwing my arms around his shoulders. He stiffened under my embrace but made no move to push me away.

"I'm so happy you're okay," I cried into his neck.

He slowly brought his hands to my shoulder and held me out at arm's length. I hung my head, dreading the words I knew were coming.

"I'm sorry," he said sadly. "I can't remember you…but you do know me…Right?"

I nodded and looked up at him, then gasped.

His eyes were a deep shade of crimson…I should've known.

"What?" he asked, obviously feeling my shock and dismay.

"Nothing."

I reached up and cupped his cheek in my hand. His brow furrowed, but he didn't pull away. Instead he closed his eyes and leaned into my hand.

"I'm sorry," he whispered again.

"A-hem…I hate to ruin this moment, but I really don't think we should hang out here too long," Daniel said. "What's the plan cowboy?"

I stifled a giggle at Daniel's cowboy comment. The poor guy had dealt with two full weeks of me yammering on and on about Jasper, and he knew about the karaoke bar.

"Close your door," Jasper instructed. "The wolves will wake up as if nothing happened, so no one will know you're missing until they come looking for you. We'll have to move far and fast…find a body of water to cross as soon as possible so they lose our scent."

"Got that covered," Daniel interrupted. Jasper and I both looked at him with a raised eyebrow. He smiled. "I can cover our scent…We'll be untraceable."

"That's useful," Jasper replied appreciatively.

"You didn't tell me you could do that," I pouted.

Daniel shrugged. "I haven't told _anyone_ I can do that."

We followed Jasper, slowly creeping through the mansion. When we finally reached the cover of the forest, we broke into a run, and ran for what seemed like hours. As we ran, Daniel and I talked.

_Are you okay, Ember_?

_Yeah, I think I am. Why_?

_I know that was hard for you…to hear him say he doesn't know you._

I sighed_. It was. But I have him back now and he's still my Jasper._

_Well, lets hope your Jasper knows what he's doing, because Caius is going to be hot when he finds out we're gone._

_Caius can bite me._

Daniel laughed out loud_. Ember, you crack me up. Oh by the way, I let the others know what we were doing. I told them to just keep up the act and we'd be back with help as soon as possible._

_Good…Hey Daniel?_

_Yeah?_

_Thank you._

_For what?_

_It's because of you that I haven't lost my mind over the last two weeks._

_Hey, I'm pretty sure I lost my mind a few weeks ago, and you made me sane again so…Thank you._

Jasper finally felt that it was safe, so we stopped_._

He took my hand and led me to a boulder, gesturing for me to sit. I did, and he sat beside me.

"I need you to tell me everything…starting with your name if you don't mind." He looked down as he finished the sentence, seemingly ashamed that he didn't know my name.

I smiled. "Well, I'm Ember, and that's Daniel." I gestured at Daniel who waved. "And I can _show_ you everything…I just need to figure out where to start."

"I'm going to go hunt," Daniel said. "To give you guys some privacy."

"Thank you," I replied.

He disappeared into the trees and I turned back to Jasper. "Tell me how you think you ended up with Caius."

"There was a fight…An army of newborns was made to come after my brother's mate. She was human…They showed up with far more than we had anticipated…My family was killed. Caius arrived in time to save me. He told me the Volturi knew of Victoria's plan but didn't plan to interfere, which he didn't believe was right…I have the memories of all of that but absolutely no emotional memory of any of it. From that point five years ago up until two weeks ago, my memories are emotionally empty and that just doesn't happen to a vampire, let alone an empath. So you can imagine how strange it was to all of a sudden have my emotional senses back out of the blue two weeks ago, only to find that Caius is deceptive in everything he says…Are they alive, Ember?…My family?…Al~"

"I'll show you." I cut him off. This was going to hurt. I would have to watch him go through losing her again, and I hated Caius for what he had done. "I can only show you what you've shown me and what I've seen in other's minds up until we met…After that it will be clearer, because they will be my own memories." He nodded and I took his hands in mine. "Some of this is going to be rough…I'm sorry."

I began with what he had shown me of the battle with the newborns. I felt him collapse into my arms and begin to sob when I re-played Alice's death, but I just held him and kept going, wanting to get through it as quickly as possible.

I hurried through the memories of my change, since that wasn't pleasant for either of us.

I slowed things down when I got to the good stuff, recalling every detail with perfect clarity and re-feeling every emotion that went with each memory: Our first kiss, the moments we realized we were in love, the night at the karaoke bar…I felt his hands grip my hips as I played back the memory of our first time together.

I didn't dwell there too long since I didn't think Daniel would be pleased to find us all over each other when he came back from his hunt.

Jasper chuckled a little over what I had done to him in Emmett's jeep…perhaps I should've left that out.

It finally ended, at the point where Jasper came to our door. I opened my eyes to see him looking at me sadly.

"I'm sorry," he said, brushing his fingers along my cheek. "You trusted me to protect you and I didn't."

I shook my head. "You couldn't…There wasn't anything we could've done to prevent what has happened."

"We should've left with the others," he argued.

I sighed and did the one thing I knew would shut him up and get his attention. I climbed in his lap and grabbed his face in my hands, forcing him to look at me.

"And what if we did?…Then we'd still have no idea what's going on and the whole family would be in more danger."

"But I would still have my memories…I have yours now but it's not the same. It's just difficult to associate your memories with this intense love I have for you…I felt it from the moment you threw yourself at me outside your room."

I think I literally melted.

He still loved me.

I pressed my lips to his and poured every ounce of love I could muster into it, reveling in the feeling of his palms pressed to my back, pulling me closer. I pulled away a minute later and smiled.

"I think we'll work it out," I said. He smiled back at me then his face fell. "What? What is it?" I could feel overwhelming dread, fear and guilt rolling off of him. "Jasper! What's wrong?"

"He made me believe…they were…dead."

"But they're not. Jasper, you're freaking me out."

"Don't you see? If he's found them…he never planned on letting them live."

I began to tremble as realization sank in. If Caius planned to do to any of the Cullens what he did to Jasper, then he wouldn't have told Jasper they were dead.

I slid off of Jasper's lap and pulled him down from the boulder.

"We have to go…We have to get to them now," I said, panicked.

"It's too late for that, Ember."

"Don't say that!"

Jasper stopped short and pulled me into his arms. I struggled as I sobbed, refusing to believe that my new family was gone. I barely noticed Daniel standing nearby.

"It's been two weeks…Because of Michael, Caius would've known exactly where you were heading," Daniel said softly. "I'm sorry Ember."

"No!"

I struggled harder, but Jasper just tightened his grip. I knew I could make him let go, but couldn't stand the thought of hurting him like that. So I just went limp, sobbing uncontrollably against his chest.

"Hey, wait," Daniel said, his voice still soft, but hopeful. "Not once has Caius thought about tracking them down…not when I was anywhere near him anyhow." I felt his hand gently squeeze my shoulder. "Maybe they got away."

"That's true," Jasper murmured. "He hasn't left much since he got me…he's been too busy watching over me."

I drew in a shaky breath and nodded. I had to hold on to that shred of hope to keep from falling apart.

"So what do we do now?"

"They have cell phones, right?" Daniel asked. Jasper and I both nodded together. "Then we get to the nearest town, steal a phone and call till one of them answers."

"Lead the way," I said, Jasper finally releasing me from his arms.

It didn't take long to find a city. Jasper stopped just outside the city limits and I turned to see what he was doing.

"I can't," he murmured, looking down at his feet.

"What?" I didn't understand.

"I…I've been feeding from humans…and I'm very thirsty. The scent is already getting to me." He was so ashamed.

I walked back to him and squeezed his arm. "It's okay," I whispered.

"I'll go steal a cell phone a bring it back," Daniel said, and was gone before either of us could reply.

"Why don't you go hunt? I'm sure there's something nearby."

Jasper shook his head. "Not this close to the human population…That would be a bad idea." We stood in silence for a moment, then he shoved his hands in his pockets and sighed. "The humans I fed from…They were not good people…I made sure to seek those out."

"You don't have to explain yourself," I told him. "You aren't responsible for that, Caius is."

"I just feel like I've let you down."

"You haven't…You never could."

"Here you go!" Daniel said, throwing me a sleek black cell phone.

I caught it and flipped it open, praying there would be enough signal.

Full bars.

I dialed the first number that came to my mind and held my breath as I anxiously awaited an answer.

After four rings my hope began to fade…Surely if anyone survived…

_Hello?_

I nearly collapsed.

"_Emmett?"_

_"_Ember!" I dropped to my knees. Jasper was kneeling, his face in his hands. We were both laughing and crying at the same time. "Ember? Are you okay? Where are you two?"

"Emmett," I sobbed, "you have no idea…how good it is…to hear your voice."

"You're telling me! We found the bike, and the stink of wolf was so strong…I thought we lost you."

"So you're all okay?"

"Yeah, thanks to Jasper."

"What?" Jasper and I said simultaneously.

"He put in a call to his friend Peter, who happened to be near our place in the Rockies and asked him to scope it out. The wolf scent was heavy, so Peter called Carlisle and we turned around…been staying in hotels since."

Jasper looked confused.

"It must have been when we were getting ready to leave the house," I explained. "There were a few minutes that I wasn't with you, so I wouldn't have remembered."

"Huh?"

"Jasper has had his memories erased."

"WHAT?" Emmett yelled.

"Listen, I'll explain everything later. We need to figure out a place to meet up, but you're going to have to tell me in some kind of code. I wouldn't put it past that creep Caius to be listening in on your calls."

"Caius?"

"Emmett, focus…Is there anywhere you can think of that has no official ties to the Cullen name?"

The line was quite for moment before Emmett laughed.

_"_I know! Tell Jasper twelve to eight…he'll know what it means…I think. Crap, does he have any memory?"

"Emmett, you're a jerk," Jasper mumbled. "I know what it means."

"O-kay…So we'll meet you there. Get rid of the cell phones & buy pre-pay," I instructed.

"Are you serious?" Emmett scoffed.

"Yes, Emmett I'm serious. I would hate for them to find us by a stupid cell phone."

"Okay, okay. Be careful, alright?"

"Will do." I snapped the phone closed and tossed it Daniel. "Take this back please?"

Once he was gone, I turned to Jasper and asked, "So…What does twelve to eight mean?"


	20. Chapter 20

*note* Flashback to fill in the "other side of the story" Enjoy!

**Chapter 20**

**Edward POV**

I squeezed Bella's hand as we turned onto the highway.

We were fleeing an unknown threat ~well, unknown to the others…I witnessed everything in Jacob and Seth's minds. It was difficult for me to comprehend such cruelty.

"Are they going to be okay?" Bella whispered.

I looked to the rear-view mirror, at Seth and Jacob sleeping in the back seat. Carlisle had given them a strong dose of morphine, and we all hoped it would last long enough to allow their bodies to adjust to the shock and stress they had just been through.

"I don't know," I sighed. "Mentally, Jacob is better off than Seth…I have no idea what state of mind Paul will be in when he comes around."

She turned in her seat to look at her best friend. "I can't believe this has happened…Jake deserves so much better."

We drove for few hours, spent mostly in silence, before Bella reached down and turned the radio on.

I grimaced.

"Jasper and his music," I muttered as the twangy music assaulted my ears.

I reached for the tuner, but Bella swatted my hand away.

"I'm not in the mood for classical right now," she said.

"How about oldies?" I pleaded. She shook her head. "Are you telling me you actually _like _this?"

"I'm telling you it's what I want to hear right now!" she snapped.

I was taken aback.

Bella had never spoken to me that way…It stung a bit.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I don't know why I did that…I just…I~"

"It's alright, love…I understand."

We'd had so much dumped on us in such a short time. It was taking it's toll.

"I just want to fix all of this…and I can't." She looked back at Jacob and sighed. "They've lost everything."I opened my mouth to answer but closed it when Carlisle pulled his car to the side of the road. I stopped my car behind his and Bella and I got out. We were soon joined by Emmett and Rosalie.

"What's going on?" Emmett asked.

"I just received a call from Peter, one of Jasper's friends," Carlisle answered. "Jasper called him. Turns out they were only a few hours from our home, so Jasper asked him to se if it was safe. He didn't even get too close to the house…the wolf odor was pungent all around the property."

"He knows what wolf smells like?" Bella asked.

"Apparently Jasper described it well…Peter said it was unmistakable."

"Great," Emmett huffed. "What do we do now?"

Carlisle shook his head. "Obviously they're looking for us and somehow have access to personal information. We'll drive for a while and find a hotel somewhere, preferably in a large city…No more credit cards. We'll use the cash we brought along."

"Jasper and Ember should've caught up to us by now," I murmured. "He drives like a demon on that bike."

"I was thinking the same thing," Rosalie said.

"We'll go back, but only so far." I could hear the worry in Carlisle's mind, but the slight crease between his brows was the only hint of it on his face. "We mustn't get too close to the house…there's no way they're still there and~" He couldn't finish the sentence aloud, but I heard it. ~_if they never got out, there's nothing we can do_. Everyone understood the words he couldn't say. "No closer than fifty miles to the house. Keep your eyes opened."

We agreed in unison and got back into our vehicles.

**Emmett POV**

The whole thing sucked.

_Really_

_sucked._

We had revisited almost every mile we had already covered, and I was beginning to worry that we would have to turn around empty handed.

Then I saw it.

Some debris on the road, and in the trees…Jasper's mangled bike.

Every car in our little caravan hit the brakes at the same time. They noticed it too.

I jumped out, the wolf scent immediately stinging my nostrils.

"Emmett!"

My mind barely registered Carlisle's voice.

I was angry.

I stalked past Jasper's bike to the spot he last stood.

A hand gripped my shoulder and I growled, glaring into the forest, in the direction they had taken them.

"We can not go after them, Emmett…No matter how badly we want to."Edward.

I dropped my head and nodded. As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. We had no idea what we were up against.

"I'll hide the bike," I muttered.

I dragged Jasper's bike out of view from the highway and climbed back in my jeep without a word. Bella had collapsed after a moment of staring at the scene and realization had sunk in. I watched as Edward scooped her into his arms and slipped into his car. He would drive holding her.

Once we were back on the highway, I looked in my rearview mirror.

I felt like a heel for not checking on Rose, but she was the type that would come to me if she needed to and I was too thick-headed to figure it out.

Her face was hard and expressionless, until she noticed me looking at her, then her eyes softened a bit.

_I love you, _I mouthed_. _

_I love you back,_ she mouthed, smiling a little_._

Two weeks.

Two _entire_ weeks had gone by and we hadn't heard a word from Jasper or Ember.

I refused to lose hope, but it sure wasn't looking good.

I'd found out just how much I hated hotel rooms.

We had traveled south, and pretty much had to stay confined to our rooms or indoors, except to hunt. Even then, we didn't stay out long or wander far, not wanting to spread our scent around.

Jacob, Seth and Paul had fully recovered from their physical wounds. They didn't really talk much, not that I could blame them. Paul really didn't speak at all unless asked a direct question and even then his answers were short. Jake was trying to be strong for his brothers. He was their new alpha, thrown into such a role by a tragedy I couldn't even fathom, and he was doing much better than I would be. Seth would occasionally smile or laugh on the rare occasion something funny happened.

None of us really felt very jovial…even me.

I hated it.

So I can't even explain how happy I was when my phone rang and I heard Ember's voice.

**Ember POV**

"Jasper? Seriously. What does that mean?"

He hadn't looked at me since I asked what eight to twelve meant. I wasn't giving up.

He sighed and shook his head, then stood to his feet.

"I really hate you, Emmett," he muttered under his breath before finally looking at me. "It has to do with the house we're going to. Carlisle has owned the property for longer than any of us have been alive and bought it under a false name back then. There is no possible way to tie any of us to it or even find it unless you know what you're looking for. The electricity is run by a waterwheel…there are no bills to pay on it except property taxes which is paid under a different false name every year. We always used it as a getaway…When we wanted some alone time with our spouse."

"Okay. So what does that have to do with the numbers?"

We could both hear Daniel approaching, so he rushed through his explanation, seeing I wasn't going to just let it go.

"Twelve is the number of times the house has needed a major repair because of Emmett and Rosalie, and eight from Alice and I."

He turned away from me just as Daniel walked up.

"Repairs?" I asked, my brows pulling together. He turned to face me, giving me a pointed look. "What? Why are you~ OH. Oh I get it!"

I had to slap my hand over my mouth to keep the giggles from erupting.

"What's so funny?" Daniel asked.

"Nothing," Jasper replied. "We need to get moving. I'd like to get there before the sun comes up. Daniel, keep our scent hidden."

"Never quit."

I was still doing my best to restrain my laughter, and I knew Jasper could feel it.

"It really isn't that funny," he said, annoyed.

"Yes it is!" I blurted. "You guys were competing?" By that time I could hardly talk from laughing. "Why not just…pull out a…ruler?"

Daniel began to chuckle, having seen in our minds what we were talking about.

Jasper just shook his head and let out an exasperated sigh. "Lets go."

He didn't give us time to answer, just grabbed my hand and took off.

I couldn't help but snicker every time I pictured him and Emmett…with a ruler. It kept me entertained over the hours that we ran. We stopped to hunt once along the way. Jasper seemed thoroughly disgusted at having to drink animal blood again, but he said he'd adjust. I felt bad for him, that he had to do it all over again, but his eyes were the most beautiful shade of bright gold outlined in crimson after he had hunted, I couldn't help but notice.

We literally ran from the forest to the front door of the house.

Jasper was right about it being remote. There were no roads or even a trail, just a log cabin out in the middle of nowhere.

"It looks old, but the inside has been renovated a few times over the years," Jasper said, opening the front door. His comment started a new round of giggles from Daniel and I. "Oh shut up."

"I could use a shower," Daniel said, after he'd gotten himself under control.

"Upstairs, second door on the right," Jasper instructed.

Daniel nodded and disappeared up the steps.

"I could use one too," Jasper and I said simultaneously. "Go ahead."

Okay, we had to quit that.

"No you go ahead," I said. "You'll be faster than me anyhow."

He nodded. "Okay." He went upstairs and returned in a moment holding some clothes. He handed me a pink tank-top and a pair of dark blue jeans. "I think these are Bella's…They should fit you.""Thanks."

He smiled and opened a door that revealed a set of steps leading to a lower level, then disappeared as he descended them quickly.

Soon I could hear water running both upstairs and downstairs.

I hugged the clothes Jasper had given me to my chest and took a look around.

The main level of the cabin had an open floor plan. The kitchen had been converted to sitting room, with large windows and long, padded benches on the two outside walls. This place was never intended for humans.

I sat next to the window, not really in the mood to explore the house any further.

"Ember?" Jasper called from downstairs.

I walked to the top of the stairs. "Yeah?" I called back.

"Could you come here please?"

I trotted down the steps and stopped at the bathroom door. "What's up?"

"Um…I forgot to get towels. They're in that closet there at the end of the hall…Could you bring me two please?"

"Sure," I answered. I retrieved the towels and came back to the door. "Here you go."He chuckled. "You can bring them in, Ember, I know you've seen me naked."

If I could blush I would have. Sure I had seen him naked, but did he have a clear knowledge of what seeing him naked _did_ to me? Not likely.

I took a deep breath, opened the door and stepped inside.

The bathroom was beautiful. I shouldn't have been surprised, after all, I don't think the Cullens owned anything that was less than beautiful.

Still.

The floor was wood, a mixture of dark and light colors, with a gloss that reflected light like a mirror. The floor led to a set of marble steps. Jasper sat on the top step, still in his jeans. Behind him was a giant bathtub surrounded by a marble platform. The bathtub was filled, with white bubbles floating on top.

"You're not naked," I whispered. Yeah, that's the best I could do.

Jasper smiled and stood, motioning me to him with his fingers. "Come here," he murmured.

How could I resist?

I crossed the room and stopped in front of him, holding out the towels. He took them from me and set them aside, along with my clothes I was still holding. I questioned him with my gaze, not sure exactly what to do next. He lifted his hands to either side of my face and placed a gentle kiss on my lips, then let his fingers trail to the top button of my shirt.

I opened my mouth…to say what, I don't know, I was in no shape to protest but at the same time I wondered if he was ready.

He looked into my eyes, his own darkened eyes pleading.

"Let me do this for you," he whispered. "Please."

If he had been asking to take my very life I couldn't have denied him.

I gave a little nod and soon felt my shirt fall to the floor.

His fingers ghosted over my shoulders and down my back, meeting at the button on my jeans. He slid them down my legs slowly, pausing to place open-mouth kisses on my thighs. He stood, unhurriedly, allowing his palms to caress my curves up to my hips. I hadn't been wearing any underclothes, and began feeling a bit self-conscious standing before him completely exposed.

"You are so beautiful, Ember," he purred as he scooped me into his arms.

He set me down in the tub and I sighed as the warm water engulfed my body.

"Is the temperature okay?" he asked.

"Perfect."

"Good," he replied, moving around behind me.

After washing my hair, he began massaging my shoulders, neck and arms. It felt amazing. I groaned when his hands left my shoulders, but it was only a couple of seconds before I felt his lips at my ear.

"Scoot up a little," he murmured.

I did as he said and smiled when he slid into the tub behind me, wrapping his arms around me and squeezing me to his chest.

"I hope Daniel doesn't wonder where we are," I said with a giggle.

Jasper chuckled. "I hope Daniel is smart enough to figure it out."

We sat for a while, just enjoying the heat of the water and the feel of our skin touching. Finally, I turned to look up at him.

"Are we going to be okay, Jasper?" I whispered.

"I hope so," he murmured. "If we're able to get enough of our kind together~""No," I interrupted. "I mean _us_…me and you."

"Why wouldn't we be?"

I turned a little more, so that I was sitting sideways in his lap, and stroked his cheek with the backs of my fingers.

"I know this has to be difficult for you…not remembering who I am and having all this dropped in your lap~"His fingers touched my lips, effectively silencing me.

"I know what I feel Ember, and I trust that more than what I remember. I love you…can you feel that?" He dropped his guard holding his emotions in check, allowing the love he felt for me to wash over me, causing my breath to hitch. All I could do was nod a little. "Caius may have taken my memories away, but he could never take that away, and I'll hold onto it with every ounce of my being."

Well that was all I needed.

I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and pressed my lips to his. He responded hungrily, shifting me so that I straddled his lap. His hands traveled gently up my back, caressing me as if I were not an indestructible creature. I couldn't contain the moan that fell from my lips as the fingers of his right hand tangled in my hair, his left hand pressed against my back, trying desperately to pull me closer.

I'm not sure how we got out of the tub…The next thing I knew, my back hit the marble wall next to a door.

Jasper held me there, his strong hands clutching my hips. My legs were wrapped around his waist and my fingers clawed at his back, stirring a growl from within his chest.

With a loud crack, we moved through the door. I guess Jasper didn't bother looking for the door knob.

I gathered that we had entered a bedroom when we fell onto a bed, but I was too consumed with Jasper to notice or even care about anything else.

I had him back...and I couldn't have been happier.


	21. Chapter 21

Author's Chapter Notes:

So, I'm sitting here on Jasper's lap getting ready to write the next chapter. Emmett is sitting on my desk and they are arguing.

Yes, this is all my fault. Me and my brilliant ideas. Just listen...

Jasper: I got two more! What's that, ten to twelve?

Emmett: Uh-uh! You have to start over.

Jasper: What?...Okay, fine. But you have to start over too, it's only fair. That makes it two to nothin' baby!

Emmett: Forget that! You don't have to start over.

Jasper: No, I like this way better.

Emmett: Psshhh. Whatever. I'll be in the lead again soon.

Jasper: *kisses my neck and whispers in my ear* You don't plan on giving Emmett and Rosalie any alone-time in the house...do ya darlin'?

Me: *dazzled* Uhh...no.

Emmett: Oh come on! That is so not fair!

Jasper: Get over it and go find your own writer.

Ember walks into the room. Okay. This is a bit awkward. Jasper just smiles and hugs me tighter...Glad he knows who he REALLY belongs to. Ember doesn't say a word, just opens a drawer on my desk, pulls out a ruler and holds it out to Jasper, her eyebrows raised expectantly. When Jasper won't meet her gaze she turns to Emmett and offers him the ruler. He just rolls his eyes.

Ember: Okay then boys, I think I've heard quite enough of this stupid argument. Now let's let Mary get on with chapter twenty-one, shall we?

Me: BUT...I need Jasper to help me write.

Ember: Oh don't you worry hun, I've got that covered.

Ember gestures to the door and in walks Jackson. Oh how I love that my mind can make them two different people in the same room! I stand and dismiss Jasper, Emmett and Ember, then gesture for Jackson to have a seat. Ahhh...yes. Nothing like some alone time with Jackson (who smells amazing, by the way) and my PC.

On to chapter twenty-one!

Please don't call the men in white coats...I'm fine.

Really.

**Chapter 21**

**Jasper POV**

I'd never been so confused in all my life.

Try to imagine having five years of memories that left you numb and made no sense whatsoever, then spending two weeks with someone who supposedly saved your life, only knowing that every word he says is drowned in deception. To top it all, you come face-to-face with someone you don't recognize, but you know immediately that you love that person enough to give your life for them.

Yeah. It was a little much to comprehend, even for a vampire.

I lay on the bed with my eyes closed, Ember curled against my side, rubbing circles over my chest and belly with the tips of her fingers, trying desperately to remember. Just one memory of her...Was that too much to ask?

"Jasper? What's wrong?"

My eyes opened at Ember's soft voice. I didn't realize how tense I had been. My hands were balled into fists at my sides and I was holding my breath. I relaxed and looked down into her concerned face. She had propped herself up a bit, resting her chin on my chest.

"Sorry," I said sheepishly with a half-grin. "I was just trying to remember...It's difficult for me to accept that I can't."

She sighed sadly and kissed my chest, then shimmied up a little to kiss my lips.

"What do you want to remember?" she murmured.

With a wicked grin I rolled over, pinning her beneath me. "I sure wouldn't mind reliving the last hour."

"Jasper!" she giggled. "You naughty thing you!"

"You like it," I growled, nibbling at her neck.

"So?" she laughed. "Hey...Do you hear that?"

"Hmmm?" I was too preoccupied to comprehend what she was talking about.

"Three sets of heartbeats...Must be the Jacob and his friends! They're here!"

I rolled over with a groan. "You think they'll figure it out if we don't come up right away?" I asked, grabbing her around the waist & pulling her back to me.

"Well I wouldn't put it past Emmett to come in looking for us." She brought my hand up and kissed it before moving my arm out of her way. "Come on!"

Even though I'd much rather have stayed holed up in the bedroom with her all day, it was hard to ignore Ember's enthusiasm. I stood to my feet and pulled on my jeans, then my shirt. When I turned around, Ember was shaking her head at me as she adjusted her clothes.

"What?" I asked, perplexed.

"Ever heard of Hanes?...Do you even _own_ underwear?"

"I like to give you something to ponder, darlin'," I answered with a wink and mischievous grin.

She just laughed and turned towards the door. I followed after her, but stopped short when a sharp pain in my abdomen nearly buckled my knees. Ember was to my side instantly.

"Jasper? Are you okay?"

The pain subsided and I stood upright.

"Yeah," I answered with a chuckle. "I think maybe that animal blood takes some getting used to."

**Ember POV**

I'd never heard of animal blood causing pain. It worried me, but Jasper didn't seem to think it was a big deal, so I let it go.

We walked up the stairs together and were literally tackled by Emmett as soon as we entered the living room.

Once we were all reacquainted and Daniel was introduced, we took seats in the living room to go over everything that had taken place and discuss what our next move should be. I sat in a suede armchair and Jasper sat on the floor, his back resting against the chair between my knees.

I did most of the talking, Jasper only to spoke to fill everyone in on what he knew of Caius and the plans he had made.

"He wants to destroy the Volturi," he explained, "namely Aro and Marcus. I was made to believe it had to do with the Volturi turning their back on their own kind, but that is apparently not the case."

"It sure isn't," Daniel said. "Caius is just ticked about getting rejected for his ideals."

"What exactly are his ideals?...Why is he doing this?" Carlisle asked.

Daniel sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "He doesn't believe vampires should have to hide. Just the opposite really, he sees our kind as a superior species. He wishes to enslave the human race and is willing to destroy any of our kind that dare to stand in his way."

"These wolves...where did they come from?" Jacob asked.

I was pleased to see how well Jacob and his friends seemed to be doing, despite what they had been through.

"Well, honestly that was something Caius never really thought about a lot," Daniel admitted. "I just know that he somehow got his hands on Quileute blood and began testing on humans. He is very scientifically gifted."

"How?" Paul didn't raise his eyes to meet any of ours as he spoke. "How did he get his hands on our blood?"

"The battle with the newborns," Jasper answered softly. "That has to be how he knew so much about it...he was there." His voice sounded strained and weak, and I noticed Edward casting worried glances at him. "I need to get some air," he said, standing to his feet. I shifted in my seat, about to get up and follow him when he added, "Alone." It kind of hurt, but I decided to give him his space and watched as he walked out the door.

"Is he okay?" Bella asked. "Something doesn't seem right with him."

"He wasn't really thinking about anything other than the conversation," Edward said. "But he was trying hard to keep from projecting his feelings...His eyes were nearly black. Ember, when was the last time he hunted?"

"On the way here," I answered. "It hasn't been that long at all."

"I agree with Bella," Emmett added. "Something isn't right with him...and I think it's more than simply being thirsty."

I stood to my feet, on the defensive. "Of course something isn't right! He's had his memories ripped away from him and knows that what he remembers of the last five years of his life is a lie! How do you _expect_ him to act?"

With that I stormed from the room, out onto the front porch. Emmett wasn't far behind me.

"Hey," he said, grabbing my shoulder. "Ember, I didn't mean to upset you."

"I know, Emmett," I sobbed. He turned me around and pulled me into a hug. "This is just so hard."

"Aw, don't cry...Everything is going to be okay.""You really think so?"

"I have to believe it," he said, then chuckled. "You know I'm nothing if not optimistic." I chuckled a little, too, and he held me out at arm's length. "Look, Jasper will be fine. He has a family here that loves him and more importantly, he has you...Now I know he said he wanted to be alone, but I have a feeling he really needs you right now.""You think?"

"Yes. Now go get him."

He gave me a little push and that was all the encouragement I needed. I picked up Jasper's scent and followed it into the woods.

It seemed I ran forever and I began to worry about just how far he had gone, when a sound that sent shivers down my spine filled the air. It was a painful groan that I knew belonged to Jasper. I pushed through a patch of small trees to find him on the ground in the fetal position, clutching his abdomen. A few feet away was what looked like a lot of blood. It didn't take half a second for me to figure out he had vomited it...His body had rejected it.

But why was he still in so much pain?

"Jasper!"

I fell on my knees in front of him and he looked up at me. His eyes were completely black and his cheeks slightly sunken.

"Ember, it hurts," he groaned.

"I've got to get you back to Carlisle...Jasper, why on earth did you run this far?" I scooped him into my arms and ran toward the house.

He answered me, his voice barely above a whisper. "Thought I...just needed to hunt...I caught a deer...but the smell..."

His body shuddered in my arms at the memory.

As soon as I caught sight of the house I called for Carlisle. He met me on the porch and took Jasper from me. I followed him to a room upstairs where he laid him on a bed.

"What happened?" Carlisle asked.

The rest of the family had gathered in the doorway, looking on in concern. I explained quickly what had happened.

"Carlisle, what's wrong with him?" I asked, pleading.

"I'm not sure," he answered. "Seems Caius must have done something to him to cause him to need human blood...That would be my best guess anyhow." He looked at his watch, then back at me. "I believe I could be to the nearest hospital and back in about an hour. I'll steal some donated blood and see if that's what he needs. Just try and keep him comfortable until I get back.""Take Daniel with you," I instructed. "He can cover your scent."

Carlisle gave a quick nod and left the room.

I sat on the bed with my back against the headboard. Jasper rolled toward me and snaked one arm over my thighs, trying to pull his head into my lap. I choked back a sob as I helped him...He was too weak to do it himself.

The family had gone back down stairs, except Edward. He came in and sat gently at my feet.

He spoke softly. "Jasper? You don't have to answer aloud if it's too difficult...Did Caius ever inject you with anything?" I wondered if that were even possible. Edward shrugged. "Daniel said that Caius had thought about injections from time-to-time, but he always thought it had something to do with the wolves."

"No," Jasper whispered, answering Edward's question.

_Edward, have you ever seen anything like this?_

He shook his head_. No I haven't...I'm sorry. Keep your hopes up. Remember he can feel your worry._

I nodded weakly and stroked Jasper's hair. Edward stood to his feet and placed a hand on Jasper's shoulder.

"I'm going to let you rest...I'm sure Carlisle will have you fixed up in no time."

Jasper didn't open his eyes, but smiled a little. Edward leaned over and kissed my forehead, telling me to rest as well, and that I looked exhausted.

"Thanks a lot, Edward. I feel fine," I replied, feigning insult.

He flashed me a crooked grin and left the room.

It was hard for me to comprehend Jasper being so weak and vulnerable…It was as if he were sick. It was so…human. I continued to stroke his hair, allowing my fingers to trail gently down his arm to his fingers, then back up again. He would wince in pain every now-and-then, but it wasn't nearly as bad as when I had first found him.

I focused completely on relaxing and staying calm for Jasper, and it wasn't long before Carlisle returned, holding several small red bags in his hands. Edward came in with him, but the rest of the family opted to stay down stairs.

I helped Jasper to sit up, propping him up with pillows. It hurt me to see him in so much pain.

Carlisle sat on the edge of the bed and laid every bag but one on the nightstand.

Edward set a glass down and Carlisle opened the bag, pouring the contents into the glass.

Jasper's nostrils flared slightly, then he gagged.

"Take it away, please," he begged weakly.

"Jasper, you should try~" Carlisle began.

Every muscle in Jasper's body tensed and he cried out in pain, rolling towards me. I wrapped my arms around him the best I could and looked up at Carlisle.

"Carlisle?" I cried.

He handed the glass and empty bag to Edward, who quickly left the room to dispose of it. Carlisle opened the windows, to help dissipate the scent.

Edward soon returned, along with Emmett and Daniel.

Jasper was finally beginning to calm.

I knew what had to be done, and it killed me inside to even think it.

I looked up into four pairs of worried eyes, my resolve solidifying.

"We have to go back." I whispered.

Chapter End Notes:

Jackson: Well that sucks.

Me: Oh shut up.

Jackson: Not the story! Just kinda sucks for Ember and Jasper. Please tell me this thing has a happy ending.

Me: I don't have to tell you anything. But I will tell you that TONIGHT will have a happy ending. *evil grin*

Yeah, I know. Leave me alone & review!


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

"No!" Emmett seemed adamant, but I was settled.

"Emmett...Look at him," I replied calmly. Jasper was curled around my knees, his breathing shaky and shallow. "I will not just sit here and watch him die...not when I know Caius has the solution."

"Carlisle? Isn't there some kind of testing you could do?" Emmett asked, grasping at straws. Carlisle shook his head. "I just don't have the resources, Emmett...I'm sorry. Even if I did, it could take weeks to figure out what is wrong and come up with a solution." He looked down at Jasper and sighed. "I don't believe Jasper can wait that long...I think Ember is right."

Emmett crossed his arms over his chest. "Well then I'm going with you."

"Absolutely not!" Rosalie and I shouted at the same time. She remained downstairs, but made her opinion known. "You're needed here," I said. "If you go with me, Caius will just have your memories erased and use you against your own family."

He plopped down on the end of the bed with an exasperated sigh, knowing I was right. Jasper winced at the sudden jarring. "Sorry," Emmett whispered. "You may take my car," Carlisle offered. "I'll take you to it, and carry Jasper for you...I think it will be easier on the both of you than running the entire way."

"Thank you," I said. "Daniel...I want you to stay with them...Will you?" Daniel nodded.

An hour later, we had reached Carlisle's car, a black Mercedes with dark tinted windows. They had left it in an unused carpool lot near a rural highway. He gently laid Jasper in the passenger seat, then came around to where Daniel and I stood on the other side. It had been so hard to say good-bye again at the house. Emmett had taken me aside and told me the number to his new pre-pay cell phone, making me promise to call him the moment I had half a chance. He also made me promise to keep myself and his brother alive. I had grown closer to Emmett than I had anyone else in the family, and I cried when I hugged him good-bye.

On the way to the car, Daniel had me try to hide my own scent. I found out that I was able to hide my own and anyone I was touching, but I couldn't project it like he could. Regardless, it would come in handy. I hugged Daniel and Carlisle, wished them luck as I knew they were going back to hotel life and they were planning to contact Aro soon, then I got in the car. They watched as I went, Carlisle giving one last hopeful wave just before they disappeared from view.

I looked over at Jasper. He looked bad...thin...frail. His skin had a chalky appearance and his lips looked more gray than their usual pale rose color. I placed my hand on his knee and sped forward, ready to do what I had to do to get him better. At around three in the morning, we had reached the last major city before Caius' hide-out. I figured we were about two hours away, and it wouldn't be long until we would have to go on foot, so I could use my sense of smell to find the way. I decided that it would be best to wait until morning to continue on. I didn't like having to go back to Caius in the first place, but the prospect of showing up in the middle of the night didn't sit well with me at all. I parked the car in an alleyway, out of sight from the main street.

"Where are we?" Jasper whispered.

"I think about two hours away...Is it okay if we wait until daylight to go the rest?" He nodded a little. "Are you sure?...I don't want to put you through more pain~""I'll be okay, Ember," he murmured. "I'm not in any pain now...just...tired." I leaned over to kiss his forehead and he snaked his arm around my waist. "Come here."

"But I~""You won't hurt me."

He wasn't really giving me a choice, so I gingerly climbed over the center council and into his lap. I snuggled against his chest and he kissed the top of my head. I felt like I should've been holding him. I didn't think it was possible for a vampire to lose weight, but I swear he had. There was no mass to him at all...he looked like a human who had been starved. "Ember?"

"Yeah?" I tilted my head so I could look at him. He smiled weakly.

"I had hoped for a more romantic setting, but I just can't wait any longer...When this is all over with...Will you marry me?" I sat up to look him full in the face, a little stunned. Was her serious? Or delusional? "I'm sorry...I haven't had a chance to get a ring...We can go together and pick it out~"

"No!" I said, a bit too abruptly. He looked hurt, so I continued quickly. "I want you to pick it out...surprise me.""So...you're saying yes?"

I leaned forward and kissed him. "I'm saying absolutely," I whispered against his lips. "I love you, Jasper Whitlock."

"I love you, Ember Whitlock."

I giggled. "It's not Whitlock yet, you know."

"It is as far as I'm concerned."

He pulled me to him and kissed me with every ounce of strength he had left. I finally pulled away, knowing he was over-exerting himself. "Easy cowboy...You need to rest. Don't go starting something you can't finish."He chuckled. "Oh I could finish it...Just might kill myself in the process...Not that I would mind."

I shook my head. "Can't have that...How bout we listen to the radio?"

"Good idea."

I reached over and turned the key in the ignition, not realizing my foot was resting on the window control. "Oops," I mumbled. I reached for the window control, but my hand was halted by Jasper's fingers encircling my wrist. He sat up slightly, his face turned toward the window. His nostrils flared a little and his eyes fluttered closed as he filled his lungs with the outside air.

"I need that," he said, his onyx eyes locking on mine. "Get out."

I didn't have time to respond. He pushed the door open and climbed out with me in his arms. I was in shock. Not two minutes prior he could barely lift his head. Now he was alert, his eyes darting back and forth, taking in our surroundings.

"Jasper?"

He set me down and grasped my hand in his. "This way." He led me through the maze of interconnected alleys, finally stopping at a door. I watched him as he stood statue-still, his entire focus on the door before him. "Must be stairs," he murmured. "They're lower than we are...Two of them." He turned to face me, the expression on his face and his posture frightened me. There was nothing human about the predator standing before me. "What are they thinking, Ember?" His silken voice was laced with a darkness that sent a shiver down my spine.

**Jasper POV**

I could feel their emotions...Celebrating over some evil victory. That celebration would soon to be cut short. They had what I needed and come hell or high water I was going to have it. I knew I was frightening Ember, but my actions were no longer being determined by my rational mind. I shook her a little, bringing her out of her shocked stare. Her head inclined toward the door and she gasped.

"Just show me," I demanded. I needed that fuel.

Two men. They had just returned from breaking into a nearby home, where they had slaughtered a family of four. They were divvying the spoils, bragging about their conquest.

"Don't let anyone out," I growled through my teeth. I reached for the doorknob, but was stopped by Ember's hand on my shoulder.

"Jasper?"

I spun around and grasped her shoulders in my hands. "Don't. Let. Them. Out...and don't come in, no matter what you hear."

She nodded in understanding and I released her, then slipped through the door and closed it behind me. Stalking down the narrow staircase, their voices became more clear. They were bragging...making jokes about the innocent lives they had just taken.

Once I reached the bottom of the stairs they came into view. Their backs were to me but I could see they were young...Just common street thugs who had taken their petty crimes to the next level.

The room was small and dingy, with dirty white block walls and a cement floor that had chipped gray paint. It was lit by a flickering fluorescent light above an old kitchen table, which was spread with various items that the murderers had stolen. They hovered over their spoil, having not yet noticed me.

I stood with my arms held out slightly at my sides, my fingers curled and uncurled of their own accord. The sweet aroma of their blood filled my lungs, the sound of it moving through their bodies thundered in my ears, intoxicating and exhilarating me. It took every ounce of my self-control to stay planted where I stood. I could've killed them both before they knew what was happening.

But I wasn't feeling that merciful.

The man to my right was of average height and build...maybe in his mid-twenties. The one to the left looked a bit older and was short and stocky. Blood dripped from the knuckles of his right hand and splattered on the cement floor.

A growl rumbled in my chest, prompting them to turn.

"What the~" The stocky one grabbed a wooden baseball bat and rested it on his shoulder. "I think you took a wrong turn pretty boy."

"Looks like this ain't your night," the other said, pulling a switch-blade from his pocket and flipping it open.

"I'm afraid you're both mistaken," I replied, the corner of my mouth twisting into a wicked grin. "Neither of you are leaving this room alive tonight."

The stocky one scoffed and came at me, swinging the bat as hard as he could. My hand shot up and stopped it just inches from my head, and I smiled as I slowly sank my fingers into the wood, until the bat snapped in two. His eyes widened as I fisted my hand in his shirt and threw him across the room.

I knew he had played the main role in the murders. His knuckles were bruised and bloody from beating someone and blood that wasn't his own was spattered in his hair and on his shirt.

I wanted to save him for last...So that he would see his friend die and know he was next.

The man with the switch-blade attempted to stab me, only cutting his own hand in the process. I wrapped one arm around him, trapping his arms at his sides and squeezing hard enough to crack bones. He screamed in pain as I used by free hand to pull his head back by his hair, exposing his throat to me.

Ecstasy.

Hard as his heart was pounding, it only took seconds to drain him. His partner, having realized what was happening, made a break for the stairs. I intentionally let him get about half-way to the top before grabbing his ankle and dragging him, screaming and begging, back to the basement.

"Please," he begged. "I~ I'm sorry!"

"Too late for that," I snarled, throwing him down next to his friend. I placed my foot on his chest and pressed down until I heard his breast-bone crack. "They begged too, didn't they?"

"I don't...know what you're...talking about!" he choked out, spitting blood.

I shook my head and applied more pressure with my foot. He struggled in vain to get free, clawing at my boot as his ribs cracked and fractured. I dropped to my knee beside him and grabbed his face in my hands, forcing him to look at me. I could see my crimson eyes reflected in his.

"I can't believe you have the audacity to lie to me," I hissed. "I witnessed it myself in your mind...You made that man watch his family die before you killed him. And for what?...A few thousand dollars?"

He sputtered and coughed, blood beginning to fill his lungs. Not wanting to lose any more, I sank my teeth into his throat...

I sat on one of the chairs near the rickety table for a few moments, trying to compose myself before I went to face Ember.

I had no remorse whatsoever for the men lying on the floor just a few feet away. They had gotten what they deserved...But I was still very much agitated over what had taken place~ an emotional train wreck, so to speak. That coupled with the fresh flow of human blood...Well, lets just say I needed to regroup.

The door at the top of the stairs creaked.

"Jasper?" Ember called. She was still rattled, I could hear it in her voice.

"Please don't come down here...Just give me a minute and I'll be up."

"I don't mean to rush you, but I keep smelling faint traces of wolf...I think we need to get out of here."

So much for recovery.

I rushed up the steps and took her hand as I hurried past her, knowing she would be hiding our scent. The scent of wolf was getting stronger and I wondered if they had heard the screaming.

It worried me. Caius wouldn't let the wolves come into a populated city alone. I no longer needed him and certainly didn't want to be captured.

"I'll drive," I said, opening the driver's side door of Carlisle's car.

Ember climbed through, and didn't let go of my hand until I was inside. We sped away, in the opposite direction we had been going. It remained quiet for a few moments, until Ember could no longer contain her curiosity.

"Jasper...How? What was it about those two men?"

"It wasn't just them...it's the whole city," I replied, further confusing her. "Caius would only let us hunt in certain cities," I explained. "I thought it was nothing more than keeping us close to home." I sighed and shook my head. "I was wrong. He has somehow gotten a drug into the bloodstream of the humans in those cities."

"And now...you're addicted to it?" she asked, her brows pulled together in confusion.

"It seems that way." I reached over and gave her knee a gentle squeeze. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to scare you earlier."

"It's alright. I'm just glad you're okay now...You _are_ okay now, right?"

I chuckled. "Yeah."

"Good. We need to get a phone so I can call Emmett."

"We'll drive until it gets light and find a hotel somewhere. You can call Emmett and then..." I grinned at her mischievously. "We'll find something to occupy our time until nightfall."

She giggled. "Why do I get the feeling my conversation with Emmett is going to be short-lived?"

I gave no answer, for it wasn't necessary. I just winked at her and pressed my foot harder against the accelerator, wanting to get as far as possible before first light.

Chapter End Notes:

So? Reviews me likey!

Oh & if you like my little story, please tell your friends, family, co-workers or any random stranger to check it out. Thanks! :D


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

**Ember POV**

Emmett was so relieved to hear from us, but a little less than pleased that his brother was addicted to a drug in human blood. We came up with a good plan, though. Since I could move around the cities undetected, I would go into the local hospitals and steal donated blood for Jasper, so that he wouldn't have to go out and hunt. Though he didn't particularly like the idea of being "fed," especially cold blood, he knew it was better and safer than the alternative.

"Think of it as room service," I said with a chuckle, getting an eye roll from Jasper and a laugh from Emmett.

Carlisle had gotten in contact with Aro, and had plans to meet him when he arrived with at least half of the guard. When the conversation dwindled into meaningless chatter, Jasper snaked one arm around my waist from behind me and took the phone from my hand with the other.

"Ember has to go now, Emmett," he said, snapping the phone shut without waiting for a reply.

I turned in his arms to face him and tell him he shouldn't be so rude, but didn't get a chance. His lips crashed against mine in an urgent, needy kiss that made my knees weak. I moaned into his mouth as his arms tightened around me, and the kiss deepened. I didn't realize we were moving until the backs of my knees hit the bed. His hands found the hem of my shirt, and he pulled it over my head, only breaking our kiss for a split second. He had not been wearing a shirt, and we both hissed as our skin made contact. We fell back on the bed where his mouth began to roam my body, kissing and nibbling along my jaw and down my neck. His talented fingers made quick work of the front clasp on my bra, and I moaned as his tongue flicked over the pink flesh of my breast, my back arching slightly off the bed. Our lips met back together in a fiery kiss as he reached down, unbuttoning and unzipping my jeans. He sat up on his knees and yanked them off, taking my panties with them, then stood and removed his own jeans.

He was beautiful.

I didn't have much time to look him over before he knelt between my knees. Using his thighs to push mine apart, he thrust into me hard as his lips molded to mine, both of us moaning at the contact. One of his hands grasped my thigh while the other held my wrist to the bed as he moved, and it wasn't long until the muscles in my abdomen began to tense. I clawed at his back and began to moan, eliciting a growl from deep in his chest. His mouth found my neck and he bit down, still growling. I felt no pain, but instead found it intensely erotic. The pleasure shot like a lightening bolt strait to my core, and I screamed his name as my body trembled beneath him.

"Oh god, Ember," he growled, thrusting hard a few more times before stilling and grunting through his release. He collapsed on top of me, and we lay there a while, enjoying the intimacy of just being together.

"I really don't like you going out alone," Jasper pouted from his seat on the edge of the bed.

"I know," I sighed, picking up the cell phone from the nightstand. "But it's the safest way...You know that."

"You don't have to go yet," he argued, standing and capturing me in his arms. "I'm not even thirsty yet."

"I'm not going to wait until you get thirty, Jasper...or sick again." I stroked his cheek with the backs of my fingers. "I promise I'll be careful."

He looked into my eyes, his hard gaze seemed to bore right through me. "No unnecessary risks...Understand?" His hands had moved to my shoulders and his grip was tight, driving his point home.

I nodded and stood on my tiptoes to kiss his lips softly. "I understand, baby...Don't worry."

With a resigned sigh he hugged me tightly one more time before dropping his arms, letting me go. We had spent the entire day in the hotel room, and I wasn't sure how long it would be until he would need to feed again, so I thought it best to go ahead and get him a supply. I couldn't even stand the thought of another episode like the last one.

It didn't take long to reach a hospital within the limits of Caius' allowed "hunting grounds." I slipped around undetected, remembering what Carlisle told me about where to look. I quickly located a large supply and took as many as I thought appropriate, slipping into my ice-pack lined backpack. I left the rare blood types alone, knowing they may be sorely needed.

Upon my exit I breathed a sigh of relief, then inhaled a lung-full of wolf stench. It was faint, wafting over from a distance.

_No unnecessary risks_.

Jasper's voice rang loud in my mind as a crazy plan unfolded.

"I'm sorry, Jasper," I whispered, turning in the direction of the scent.

**Jasper POV**

After pacing the floor and clicking through every channel on the TV about a thousand times, the room phone rang. I grabbed it, hoping it was Ember, but instead it was Edward. They had met with Aro and several of the guard he had brought with him and wanted to head this way as soon as possible. Aro wasn't pleased with what had transpired and felt he needed to get it dealt with before it could get any worse. I agreed to call them as soon as Ember returned, and we had a chance to find a good place to meet.

I hung up the phone and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

It had been nearly four hours since she had gone. I was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at the door, debating. I'd just made up my mind to go after her when the handle turned. Her emotions hit me like a sledge hammer to the chest before she got inside. She was scared, apprehensive, and badly shaken. I stood to my feet as she entered, my eyes widening at the sight before me. Her clothes were torn and dirty, her hair disheveled, and she was shaking. She dropped the backpack and nearly collapsed. I caught her in my arms and hugged her to my chest. Her sobs filled the room as I sat on the bed with her cradled in my arms.

"Ember?" My voice held a hint of panic. "Ember? Baby, what happened?"

"I...I'm sorry...I'm sorry, Jasper," she whimpered into my chest.

"It's okay," I soothed, stroking her hair. "Please just tell me what happened."

She drew in a deep, ragged breath and blew it out in a huff. "When I left the hospital...I caught their scent...the wolves...and I followed it." I had to work hard to suppress the anger that so desperately wanted to boil over. I had expressly told her not to take risks! I managed to nod, urging her to continue. "Out in the woods, Caius had a few of them and some other vampires...and two humans." She sat up a little now, looking into my eyes. I knew she could see the anger there and she flinched a little, lowering her head and continuing. "He injected them with something...It put them into convulsions, then...one of them changed...into a wolf. The other just died." She looked up at me again, sadness in her eyes. "They were just boys, Jasper...No older than seventeen."

My own eyes softened at the sadness in hers. "Did they see you?" I asked, looking over her tattered clothes.

She shook her head. "No, they never knew I was there...On the way back, I ran into a wolf. Literally." She stood to her feet and retrieved the backpack, kneeling to unload its contents to the small refrigerator. "I tried to get away. I ran, but he was too fast...He caught me." She'd finished with the refrigerator and stood, coming to sit next to me. "I thought I was going to die. I told you how much I loved you...and that I was sorry for letting you down." A sob escaped her throat, and I pulled her to my side, kissing her hair softly. "I did the only thing I could do...I bit him on the shoulder as hard as I could. I really didn't think it would help me any, and at first it only served to make him more angry. But then...his body started to convulse, and I watched him change to his human form."

_Well...that was a breakthrough._

"So our bite changes them back?"

"No," Ember sighed. "It kills them. He was dead." Her voice was flat and she looked sad. "He was a kid, Jasper, just like the other two. I killed a child!"

I pulled her into my arms and held her tight as she cried. "Ember, I'm so sorry," I soothed, rubbing small circles on her back. "But you had no choice. You didn't kill that boy, Caius did. I have been around them, and you can trust me that there is no trace of their humanity left in them." I kissed her head and held her out, so I could look at her. "I'm just glad you're okay."

She gave me a small smile. "I'm sorry."

"Forget about it...We need to call the others, and let them know what happened and figure out a place to meet them."


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

**Emmett POV**

It had been about three days since I last spoke to Jasper. We were on our way to meet them, and I was so ready to get all this over with and get back to our life.

The stress of the whole situation was wearing on everyone, and was only compounded but the arrival of Aro and his crew. I was grateful I didn't have to escort Aro or Marcus...they really creeped me out, and I couldn't imagine we'd have anything to talk about. They rode with Carlisle. Felix and Demitri sat in my back seat. We had a few things in common, so it wasn't that bad. About an hour from where we were supposed to meet Jazz and Ember, my phone buzzed.

"Hey, Ember, we're ammo-"

"He's gone!" she cried into my ear, hysterical.

"What? Ember, calm down,"

"I can't, Emmett! They...They took him again!" She sobbed into the phone. "I had to go into a hospital because he was getting weak again...He was right here, just outside of town...When I came back he was gone...and I can...smell them...I'm going after him."

"No, Ember! Wait for us!" I pleaded.

"I'm sorry, Emmett...I can't do that."

"Ember?...EMBER?" The line was dead.

I cursed and tried her number, but it went to voice mail. Rosalie gently took the phone from my shaking hand and called Carlisle to tell him the bad news.

**Ember POV**

I sobbed as I ran, following their scent through the thick forest. They could capture me too, I didn't care. I wasn't just going to let him go again.

It didn't take long to reach my destination.

I crept around the perimeter, but there was no sign of Jasper. There were guards and wolves everywhere, with no hidden way to get through them. Irrational anger boiled over, and I began running towards the entrance, using my ability to throw back any vampire who tried to stop me. Of course, that didn't stop one of the wolves from getting me pinned to the ground by my throat.

I knew I could kill him...but I couldn't kill all of them.

I heard footsteps, and soon Caius appeared, wearing a smug grin.

"Promise to play nice, and we'll let you up," he said, looking down at me.

I growled at him, then nodded.

The wolf relinquished its hold, and I stood.

"Where is he?" I hissed. Caius just raised an eyebrow at me. "Did you do it again?...Erase his memory?"

"Oh no, my dear, that can only be done once and you so conveniently ruined that," he replied with a sneer. "A choice you may soon regret."

That was the last thing he said before escorting me to a cement cell, leaving two wolf guards at the door. I spent several days there in isolation, not a single sound other than the breathing and steady heartbeat of the wolves.

Finally, footsteps approached, and I stood, watching the door. It opened and Caius stepped in.

"Come with me," he commanded, and I obeyed.

I didn't really have a choice. He led me down a series of dark corridors, and soon I began hearing a faint groaning that became louder the more we walked.

Jasper.

We stopped in front of a door and Caius grabbed the back of my neck, pulling my ear to his lips. "Just remember...this is_ your_ fault," he hissed, then opened the door and shoved me inside.

I was not prepared for what I found in that room.

Jasper lay curled up on the dirt floor, his arms wrapped tightly around his abdomen. His shirt was gone and his pants were torn and ragged. His skin held a grayish tint and there were gashes and gouges all over his body. He didn't open his eyes or give any indication that he knew I was there.

I knelt beside him and gently stroked his sunken cheek. His eyes cracked open, just enough for me to see how black they were.

"Ember," he whispered, a weak smile pulling at his lips.

I lost it.

I wrapped my arms around him and as gently as possible pulled him to me, sobbing as I held him. "I'm...so sorry...Jasper," I cried.

He shook his head a little. "Not your fault," he replied, his voice so weak it almost didn't sound like him.

My fingers traced along his back, stopping over a long gash.

"What have they done to you?"

He just shook his head, but I watched in horror as his memories played through his mind. They were using him to train the wolves, forcing him to run into the forest then releasing the creatures to capture him and bring him back. Without any sustenance to his body, the wounds left by the wolves were not healing.

I looked at my own arm where I had been mauled by the wolf. Faint scars remained there from his teeth, and I sobbed as I looked back over Jasper's ravaged body.

More scars.

I wasn't sure how long I held him there.

A day...maybe two.

The door finally opened and a tall, muscular vampire stepped into the room. He made a move to grab Jasper, and I pinned him to the wall with my ability, a fierce snarl ripping from my throat.

"Don't touch him!" I screamed.

A wolf crouched in the doorway, its teeth bared.

"Release me," the vampire commanded, "or I'll have him destroyed right now."

Grudgingly, I let him go, a sob escaping as he pulled Jasper from my arms. He led Jasper from the room, and I bolted to the door, stopped of course by a snarling wolf.

"Wait!" I cried. "Please!" He turned to look at me, Jasper stumbling at his side and using every ounce of strength he had to stay upright. "Please...tell Caius I'll do anything...just don't-"

I was cut off by the sounds of a fight outside.

The thoughts of Emmett, Edward, and Bella were clear in my mind.

I couldn't help but grin wickedly as I lunged, sinking my teeth into the throat of the wolf blocking my exit. The vampire holding Jasper watched, his eyes widening in disbelief as the wolf writhed on the ground. He wrapped an arm around Jasper's throat.

Bad move.

My vision turned a hazy red, a rage I had never felt before seemed to boil beneath my skin as I locked my gaze on his. He gasped when his arms began to loosen from Jasper against his will. When Jasper crumpled to the ground I began to stalk forward, the vampire crying out as the full force of my ability settled over him.

One second he was there, the next he was not. All that remained of Jasper's tormentor were his clothes and dust.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

"Ember!"

I turned toward Carlisle's voice, and he was at my side in an instant. He gasped at the sight of Jasper as he knelt down and slid a bag from his shoulder.

"Please tell me that is what I think it is," I said.

He nodded, unzipping the bag. I had to hold the first few small bags of blood for Jasper before he was able to take over. I wasn't sure how many Carlisle had in the bag, but Jasper drained every one of them. By the time he had finished, the wounds on his body had closed up, leaving light scars behind.

"Thank you, Carlisle," he said when he had finished. "How many did you bring?"

Of course he was right down to business, his question referring to the number they brought to fight.

"Twenty-four," Carlisle answered. "Eighteen of our kind and six wolves."

"Six wolves?" Jasper and I asked in unison.

He nodded. "Apparently Jared, Leah, and Quil weren't on the reservation when the attack happened...One day last week when Jacob phased, Jared happened to be in his wolf form at the same time...That is how we found them."

"Where's Caius?" I asked, my anger building again.

Jasper took my hand in his and squeezed it gently, sending a wave of calm through me.

"We haven't found him yet," Carlisle answered. "Most of the wolves have been destroyed. Aro wants Caius brought to him alive."

A hiss escaped my lips. Jasper squeezed my hand a little harder.

"And if he _isn't_?" I growled.

Carlisle looked to Jasper with pleading eyes, to which Jasper gave a quick nod. With that, Carlisle returned the way he had come. I turned to Jasper, fuming.

"He can't do that!" I shouted. "Who does he think he-"

Jasper pulled me into his arms and crashed his lips to mine in a fiery kiss, silencing my rant. I could taste the blood still lingering in his mouth, intoxicating combined with the flavor that was just...Jasper. I whimpered when he pulled away.

He looked me square in the eyes, his hands planted firmly on my shoulders. "I just want to get through this, and still have you and my family on the other side. We will not do anything to provoke the Volturi...Understand?"

I lowered my head and nodded. As much as I would have loved to kill Caius myself, more than anything I just wanted to put it all behind me, and move forward with Jasper.

We set off in the opposite direction Carlisle had gone, following the narrow hallways hand-in-hand. Soon we crossed Caius' scent and followed it out of the building.

We had no more than stepped outside before Jasper was pummeled by a wolf. They rolled several yards before Jasper threw the animal off of him, a vicious snarl ripping from his chest. The two of them circled each other, Jasper's body in a crouch, his arms slightly flared and fingers splayed; the wolf held his head low, ears back and teeth bared.

I wanted to help, but I could do nothing but stand in awe.

Jasper was a sight to behold.

His muscles flexed under skin as he stalked the beast, his mind calculating the best approach. His eyes followed each tiny movement, his lip curling back in a menacing growl as the wolf lunged. I watched, entranced, as Jasper bolted forward, twisting at the last second to avoid the animal's jaws and lock his own on its throat.

I was so entranced by the scene unfolding before me, I didn't notice the vampire stalking me. He tackled me, knocking the air from my lungs in a _whoosh_. He pinned me to the ground, sitting on my hips and drawing his arm back to strike.

Jasper snarled and lunged, but was thwarted by another vampire.

Then, I recognized the vampire I held frozen on top of me.

Michael...The one responsible for the loss of Jasper's memories.

A low growl began to build in my chest, escalating as the pressure I put on him increased. His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open, but there was nothing he could do. I was livid...So angry at him for what he had done to Jasper and many others. A small whimper broke free from his lips, then he was gone.

My head snapped to the sound of Jasper's cry. He had collapsed to the ground, next to the vampire he had just dispatched, his head in his hands and his eyes squeezed shut in pain. Just as I reached him, his body fell slack.

"Jasper!" I screamed, pulling him into my arms. "Jasper? Jasper, no! Please, baby...Open your eyes!" I cried, shaking him. He gasped, his eyelids fluttering open. I nearly collapsed in relief. "Jasper?...Are you okay?"

He focused his eyes on mine. He was overcome with emotion as he drew in a shaky breath.

"I...remember everything," he said, almost in a whisper.

"Everything?"

A smile broke across his face as he nodded, pulling me into his arms and holding me there. I could hear by the thoughts of others that we had gained allies as other vampires regained their memories. Some turned and fled, knowing they had just been fighting against the Volturi and fearing repercussion. The fight was as good as won.

Only one thing left to attend to.

"Come on, baby," I purred in Jasper's ear. "Let's finish this." He nodded, and we stood, picking up where we'd left off following Caius' scent.

We ran for miles into the forest. Soon I could hear the sound of heartbeats and cries of terror. When we broke through into a clearing, I found out why.

The Quileute wolves had captured Caius and were tormenting and toying with him.

"Stop!" Jasper cried, gaining their attention.

One of the wolves growled in our direction.

"He wants to know why," I translated.

"Trust me, I know you'd like nothing more than to destroy him, and I believe you have every right to." Jasper spoke with understanding and sympathy. "But Aro has demanded to have him brought back alive." When several of the wolves snarled, Jasper's eyes turned pleading. "Please...you have lost enough. Crossing the Volturi will only cost you more...I beg you."

The one I knew as Jacob stepped forward, and pushed Caius toward us with his massive head.

"Thank you," I whispered.

We escorted Cauis back, flanked by the wolves. They wanted to know what would become of him, to see that he would pay for the atrocities he had committed.

We returned to find Carlisle and Edward standing and speaking with another vampire. He had ghostly pale skin and long black hair. He looked frail.

"Is _that_ Aro?" I muttered in disbelief. Jasper nodded reverently. "He's not as scary looking as I thought."

Jasper cut his eyes at me, his brow furrowed and shook his head. _Appearance isn't everything, darlin'_..._Please don't cross him_.

I rolled my eyes, but nodded in consent.

As we approached, Aro turned, his gaze falling on the man who had betrayed him. Without a word, he stepped forward and snatched Caius's hand into his own.

I looked to Jasper, confused.

_Aro can see every thought you've ever had with one touch. Everything Caius has done or even thought of doing, Aro now knows, _Jasper explained.

_Impressive_, I thought.

Aro glared at Caius and lifted his eyes to the trees where the wolves stood, waiting.

"You have committed vile offenses, brother," Aro spoke, his voice even. "But none as horrific as what you've done to them."

"I destroyed a threat!" Caius defended.

"Women and children?" Aro shouted. "What harm could they pose?"

Caius dropped his head, knowing he had nothing in his defense.

"I'm finished here. I believe it only proper justice to turn you over to them, to carry out your sentence as they see fit...Felix?"

Jasper flinched at the overwhelming fear that flooded over Caius, and released his arm as a very large vampire stepped around Aro and seized him. His pleading and cries went unanswered as he was dragged to his fate. Once silence filled the air, Aro turned, his crimson eyes falling on me. He smiled and stretched out his hand.

"You must be Ember...I've heard much about you from your new family."

I grinned, probably a little too smug for Jasper's liking, and laid my hand in Aro's, knowing he would see nothing. "Nice to meet you," I said.

A wide smile graced his face as he turned to Jasper.

"Major Whitlock...quite the catch you have here...Do you mind?" He held his hand out, and Jasper grasped it, giving me a crooked grin. I guess Aro was accustomed to getting what he wanted, one way or another. "What a marvelous creature," Aro breathed, not taking his eyes from me. "You are effected with your mate's abilities and young Bella's...but neither mine or Edward's...I wonder..." He turned to a very young-looking girl with long, blonde hair. "Jane?"

Jasper gasped and grabbed my hand.

I felt nothing when her eyes locked on mine, but whatever she was doing channeled through me into Jasper. He crumpled to the ground, crying out in agony.

I glared at Jane, halting her assault and bringing her to her knees, screaming in pain.

Jasper was instantly on his feet, standing between us with his hands on my shoulders. "Ember, stop! I'm fine!"

"Astounding," Aro murmured.

I laid my head against Jasper's chest as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head.

"I want to go home," I muttered, answering aloud the question in Aro's mind of weather or not I would join his guard.

He chuckled and turned to Carlisle. "You and your family may go, dear friend. We will clean up here, thank you for all you've done."


	26. Chapter 26

_**Chapter 26**_

_Though I wanted nothing more than to just go home, it wasn't that simple. We had to stay near the few small towns where Caius had been injecting the humans for Jasper's sake. He felt horrible about it, though it was not his fault at all. There were, in fact, several vampires who had to stay close thanks to Caius. Carlisle had a theory that the natural thinning of the toxic in the humans would work to wean the addicted vampires off of it. I prayed he was right. _

_Jasper and I rented a house in one of the towns, near the hospital. The rest of the family rented a large farmhouse just outside of town. They didn't have to, but they wanted to stay close. _

_The day we moved in, the whole family was packed into the little two-bedroom house. It felt good for all of us to be together again. Rosalie and Esme had done a wonderful job decorating and furnishing the house. All I did was mention that I wasn't very good at it and that we'd be ready to move out by the time I got done, and they flew into action. They had it done in a day. _

_Crazy women. _

_Jasper and I eventually sat on the couch together as everyone mingled. I cuddled into his side, and he angled his body toward me, wrapped his arms around me, and buried his face in my neck. _

_"Perhaps we should go and let these two get settled in," Edward suggested, picking up Jasper's thoughts. _

_Both of us longed to just be alone for a while, for once with no worries, no impending doom to fret over. I felt Jasper's relief at Edward's words. _

_I detangled myself from Jasper's arms and stood to see them off. Emmett gave one last wave as they pulled out of the drive, and I watched as the taillights disappeared. _

_Breathing a sigh of relief, I closed the door and turned around only to be pushed back against the door. Jasper stood before me, his palms pressed to the door on either side of my shoulders. _

_"I need you," he declared with deep conviction. _

_The full force of his emotions hit me, and I gasped, overwhelmed. Though lust was the most prevalent emotion, it was mixed with a profound feeling of love and need. My knees went weak and he caught me, pulling me into his chest and capturing my lips in a kiss that took my breath away. As soon as I found my footing, he began to walk backwards toward the bedroom, not breaking the kiss and each of us shedding clothes along the way. Once we reached the bedroom door he scooped me up and carried me, bridal style, to the bed. _

_**Jasper POV**___

_A war raged inside me as I lay my beauty down on the bed. _

_One part of me- the raw, animalistic side- wanted nothing more than to take her, hard and rough, claim her as my own...and I knew she wouldn't object. But the other part of me- the side that ruled my heart and soul- wouldn't have it. She deserved more. She deserved to be cherished and worshiped. _

_"Are you okay, Jasper?" she asked, drawing my attention from my internal struggle. _

_"Never better," I murmured as I climbed onto the bed and pressed my lips to hers. _

_She moaned softly into my mouth when I deepened the kiss, my hand roaming down her side and grasping her hip. A growl rumbled in my chest as her fingers wound into my hair, her nails grazing my scalp. _

_Easy, Jasper_, I told myself. 

I shifted so that my body hovered over hers, my knees on either side of her thighs. I took her wrists in my hands and held them to the bed, knowing if she kept touching me the way she was, this would be over much quicker than I had planned. She whimpered at being restrained, and I couldn't help but chuckle as I placed wet, open-mouthed kisses along her jaw and down her neck. 

"Jasper!" she cried, her back arching off the bed as I took her nipple in my mouth, flicking my tongue over it. 

A small smile played at the corner of my lips. I remembered the time I had promised to make her scream, but we were interrupted. She gasped, apparently reading my mind and feeling my smile against her skin. 

"Don't you-" Before she could say anything more, I opened the floodgate on my lust, eliciting a deep moan from the angel beneath me. 

Close, but I wanted more. 

I licked a trail from her breast to her hip, and then growled as I bit the skin at the juncture of her hip and thigh. 

"Oh God! Jasper...Please!" she screamed, her body writhing, seeking more contact. 

Much better. 

Using my legs to part hers, I settled between them, pressing only the tip of my member into her entrance. 

"Tell me you want me, Ember," I whispered against her lips. 

"Uuunngghhh," she moaned. "I want you, Jasper...Now!" 

As the last word passed her lips I thrust my hips forward, groaning as I filled her. I finally released her wrists, needing to feel her hands on my skin and needing to feel her skin on my hands. We were lost in a haze of lust, love, and a host of other emotions as our bodies moved together, our moans and pants filling the air around us. I felt her body tense then tremble, my name falling from her lips as her orgasm claimed her. 

I kissed her sweetly as she came down from her high, and then rolled to my back, putting her on top of me. She looked down at me with hooded, lust-filled eyes as she sat up, moaning as the new position gave me deeper access. Watching her breasts bounce as she moved, had me quickly approaching my release, and I gripped her hips in my hands, thrusting my hips up as I pulled her down into me. I knew she was getting close again as well by the sounds she was making. 

"Ooohh, Ember," I growled, my grip on her hips tightening. "Come with me, darlin'." 

I felt her walls clench around me and that was all it took to push me over the edge, moaning her name over and over as my body shuddered. She collapsed on top of me, and I wrapped my arms around her, rolling us to our sides. We lay there, wrapped tightly in each others arms as we caught our breath. 

"I love you, Ember," I whispered once my breathing had evened out. 

"I love you, too, Jasper," she answered, tilting her head up to press her lips to mine. 


	27. Chapter 27

**Ember POV**

"Almost time!" Bella said excitedly, peeking her head in the door before entering. She gasped. "Wow...Ember, you look beautiful!"

"Thanks, Bella," I said quietly, staring at myself in the full length mirror.

I bit my lip and she frowned.

"What's wrong?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

I was getting married.

I was getting married to the most perfect creature to ever walk this earth.

What if I wasn't good enough? And, what if he figures that out one day?

"Nothing," I replied, forcing a small smile. "Just got a lot on my mind."

Though she wasn't buying it, she reluctantly let it go and excused herself to give me a few more moments to myself.

_You are being ridiculous_, my inner voice told me.

And I knew that.

Jasper and I had been through so much, and through it all our love never faltered...Even when he didn't know me.

It had been three months since the battle with Caius, and it hadn't always been a smooth ride.

Thankfully, Carlisle had been right about the drug. As it dissipated in the human bloodstream, the vampires addicted to it were weaned of it's hold. Unfortunately, it didn't happen without it's side effects, just like any addictive drug.

After two weeks, Jasper began having violent mood swings. We had to move from the house in the city after he kicked the front door halfway into the yard. Fortunately, that happened in the middle of the night and no one witnessed it.

He wanted me to go live with the rest of the family until he recovered, but I would have no part of it. Though he was absolutely terrifying in a violent rage, he needed me and I vowed to see him through.

There were times I held him while he sobbed for hours, unable to stop. Other times he just stood and stared out the window, unseeing, immersed in depression.

It wasn't all bad.

It took a total of about six weeks for the drug to lose it's hold on him, and closer to end of it, the mood swings got less violent and depressing. Sometimes he was just downright funny.

I smiled as I remembered the night we picked out my engagement ring.

He had been chomping at the bit to take me out and get it, but given his condition we hadn't been able to. So, when Carlisle gave him the green light, he lit up like a Christmas tree.

So adorable.

He literally bounced into the bedroom, where I had to check on him an hour later...See, another side effect he suffered from was indecision. I found him standing in the closet, every article of clothing thrown on the floor around him. The look on his face when those puppy dog eyes met mine was priceless. I was having a tough time containing my laughter, and lost all control of it when he said, "What is a man supposed to wear to pick out an engagement ring?"

I had to convince him the jeans and long-sleeved tee he wore was sufficient and that I liked the way his butt looked in said jeans.

A few hours later, I had to swear to him that I would never breathe a word of that tale to our family or anyone else...EVER.

A soft knock at the door brought me from my memories.

"Don't come in!" I shouted, knowing it was Jasper.

He chucked and I could practically hear his eyes roll.

"I know, I know...Just wanted to check on you...Are you okay?" I glared at the door. "Did Bella say something to you?" He chuckled again. "No, darlin'...I'm an empath, remember? And I can feel _your_ emotions over anyone else. So...What's with the uncertainty? Should I be worried? Because if you run away I'm going to send Emmett after you with Bella to help him."

That made me giggle.

"I'm not going anywhere," I promised, knowing he felt my sincerity. "I just...worry."

"About?"

I sighed. "That one day you're going to realize I'm really not what you want."

"Baby, come to the door." I obeyed. "Put your hand on the door." I did as he told me and by the feel of heat where my palm rested I knew his hand was pressed to the door on the other side. "Feel that, sweetheart?"

"Yes."

"I love you more with every minute that passes...and I'll never stop," he vowed.

"I know," I whispered.

"Good. I'll see you in two minutes, beautiful."

With that, he was gone, the heat quickly fading from my palm.

The next knock at the door was Carlisle, ready to escort me to my waiting groom. He held his hand out for mine and kissed the back of it before placing it in his arm.

"You are simply breathtaking, Ember," he said, a warm smile on his face.

"Thank you, Carlisle...And thank you for doing this for me."

"It's my honor."

We had opted for a small wedding at home, surrounded by only family and a few close friends.

The wedding march began to play as I descended the curved staircase.

Nervousness hit me once again, but disappeared when my gaze met his.

My eternity.

If I live to the end of time, I will never forget the love shining in his golden eyes.

Love for me.

From that point on, there was no one but him.

Our eyes stayed locked, even as Carlisle placed my hand in his. Through our vows and exchanging of rings, our gaze never faltered.

We had written our own vows, desiring to say something from the heart.

Jasper was first.

"Ember...When I found you, I was a broken man...Shattered and incomplete. I had no desire to live...Even the most spectacular of sunsets held no beauty for me. You took me as I was, accepted my every fault...and piece by jagged piece you began to heal me." He paused to lift his hand, his fingertips caressing my cheek. "Your love mended this shattered man, and I promise to spend every second of my life trying to give you as much as you've given me. You are my world, Ember...I love you."

I honestly didn't know how I was going to speak through the lump in my throat after that, but with a little help from Jasper I found my voice.

"Jasper...I never told you this, but when I first opened my eyes to this life, my reaction to you wasn't solely out of anger for what I thought I had become...When our eyes met, a shock ran through me that altered my entire world...I felt drawn to you and I couldn't comprehend it...I didn't like it. I know now what it was...I was meant for you and you were meant for me...There will never be anything we can't face together and I promise to be at your side, loving you with all that is in me, for as long as I live. You saved my life~ more than you'll ever know~ by bringing me into yours...I love you, Jasper Whitlock.

When Emmett~ yeah, Emmett. (I know, right?)~ pronounced us husband and wife, Jasper wrapped me in his arms, both of us lost to the world as we kissed.

**A/N**

So…that is officially the end of my little story. *sniffles* I have yet to write an out-take of Caius getting his just desserts, but will do asap. Thank you so much to all that have read, reviewed and maybe even shared my story. I have had a lot of fun playing with Jasper. ;)


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